Efficacy of Subconjunctival Bevacizumab Adjunctive Therapy Before Primary Pterygium Surgery

Monday, April 28, 2014: 8:11 AM
Room 154 (Boston Convention and Exhibition Center)
Mohamed E. Shahin, MD, PhD, Suez Canal university, Ismailia, Egypt
Amr Abdel-Fattah Gab-Alla, MD, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
Dalia S. Fayed, MS, suprim council of health, doha, Qatar
Ali Khalil, MD, Suez Canal University, ismaeli, Egypt

Narrative Responses:

Purpose
To evaluate the efficacy of subconjunctival bevacizumab an adjunctive therapy before primary pterygium surgery.

Methods
This randomized comparative clinical trial was conducted on 40 eyes of 38 patients. Three days prior to simple bare scleral excision of the pterygia, 20 patients (case group) received 2.5 mg /0.1 ml bevacizumab, and the 20 other patients (control group) did not receive any medications. The main outcome measures were recurrence of pterygia and complications during the first 6 month postoperative period.

Results
There were no statistically significant differences regarding age, sex or operated eye between the two groups. The pterygia resolved in 14 eyes (70%) of 20 eyes in each groups, with a recurrence rate of (30%) during a follow up period of 6 months. There were no statistically significant differences regarding improvement in visual acuity, corneal epithelial healing, conjunctival erythema, subconjunctival hemorrhage, lacrimation or photophobia between the case and control groups.

Conclusion
A single preoperative bevacizumab has no effect on the rate of recurrence of pterygium or on early postoperative complications. It only helps with less bleeding during surgery.