Vertical Conjunctival Bridge Flaps in Pterygium Surgery

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the recurrence rates and clinical outcome following pterygium surgery using a vertical conjunctival bridge flap technique. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 500 patients operated on for primary or recurrent pterygium during 6 years (between 1994 and 2000). Following receipt of informed consent, the patients were randomly distributed into two treatment groups: 250 patients were operated on using a vertical conjunctival bridge flap technique (Group 1) and the remaining 250 patients were operated on using a bare sclera technique (Group 2). Demographic characteristics of the patients were compared by analysis of variance. The mean follow-up period was 16 months, with a minimum of 6 months. The intraoperative and postoperative complications and recurrence rates were compared for each group. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in age and gender distribution of the patients between the two groups ( P > .05). The most common intraoperative complication was a broken or irregular flap, which was seen in 6 of 250 cases (2%) in the vertical conjunctival bridge flap group. The recurrence rate was 2% in the vertical conjunctival bridge flap group compared with 40% in the bare sclera group ( P < .01). CONCLUSION: The vertical conjunctival bridge flap technique is a safe and effective method in pterygium surgery and offers low recurrence rates. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging 2003;34:279–283.]