Comparison of 4 techniques for limbal-conjunctival autograft fixation in primary pterygium surgery.

PURPOSE: To compare 4 limbal-conjunctival autograft fixation techniques-conventional suture, commercial fibrin glue, autologous fibrin glue, and cautery-in primary nasal pterygium surgery.

METHODS: This is a retrospective and descriptive study. The postoperative patient discomfort, graft edema, ocular inflammation, and other complications of 4 limbal-conjunctival autograft fixation techniques in primary nasal pterygium surgery were evaluated.

RESULTS: Postoperative patient discomfort was significantly lower with the sutureless techniques (p<0.001), with fixation with cautery having the lowest rate of discomfort. Graft edema and ocular inflammation during the early postoperative period were significantly higher when fibrin glue techniques were used (p<0.001). The recurrence rate did not show a statistically significant difference (p = 0.682) among the 4 groups.

CONCLUSION: In primary nasal pterygium surgery, limbal-conjunctival autograft fixation using cautery is the technique with the lowest postoperative discomfort rate and without a statistically significant increase in recurrence rate when compared to conventional suture and fibrin glue techniques.