Have you ever heard of pterygium? It is a proliferation of fibrovascular tissue that appears in the nasal or temporal region of the conjunctiva bulbar The main problem with this condition is that it advances on the corneacausing some loss of vision.
In most cases, surgery is required to remove the tissue, with sutureless pterygium surgery being the best option. If you want to meet her, Área Oftalmológica Avanzada We will explain everything about it. Keep reading!
What is sutureless pterygium surgery?
La sutureless pterygium operation It is a very new technique and is used as an alternative to the most recurrent extirpation in these cases. The main reason is that the intervention with sutures caused the so-called recurrence, that is, the problem reappeared again.
In addition to removing the pterygium and grafting a piece of the patient's conjunctiva with a bioadhesive instead of sutures, other techniques to avoid the aforementioned recurrences.
A new surgical technique for the treatment of Pterygium offers better results. The combination of Mitomycin C, erbium laser and bioadhesives, achieve a faster recovery and prevention of annoying recurrences.
Dr. Carlos Vergés
When is it indicated?
As we have already told you, this operation is performed as treatment for pterygium, especially when it's out of control. If left untreated, you begin to see a white tissue on the cornea that causes:
- Inconvenience
- Redness
- Astigmatism in the most severe cases
As a general rule, it is removed when it has invaded the cornea by 2 millimeters or more, using other techniques if it has not reached that far. It can also be removed for cosmetic reasons.
In the past, a simple extraction technique was used, transplanting a healthy conjunctiva in its place. The problem is that the stitches caused the relapse in most cases.
To try to avoid the latter, anti-scarring drugs were used, but they had undesirable side effects. For this reason, sutureless surgery has begun to be used, which minimizes the risk of recurrence.
How it is performed?
This surgery is done under local anesthesia, removing the pterygium, cleaning the area and covering it with a graft. The technique consists of 4 steps:
- Selective removal of the affected area: it must be removed from the part that has invaded the cornea and the conjunctiva, cleaning the surface well. As a general rule, it is usually an area between 6 and 8 mm in circumference, although it depends on the size of the pterygium. The affected area will be covered by a graft, taken from the same conjunctiva of the patient, cutting it and placing it in the area.
- Using a laser that induces lysis of the activated limbic cells responsible for recurrences.
- Mitomycin C Application, an antimitotic that helps control fibrosis.
- Wound closure with a bioadhesive: It has anti-inflammatory capacity and avoids the need for sutures. This biological glue is based on fibrin, which allows the tissue to be hooked perfectly. In order to work correctly, the orientation of the tissue must be preserved.
At the end of the operation, it is necessary to place a dressing and apply antibiotic ointment to reduce the risk of infection. After that, the eye will be covered with a pressure bandage for about 48 hours. keeping the graft in position while the fibrin acts.
El postoperative period of pterygium surgery without sutures is not very traumatic. At most, you may notice the red eye for a few days or feel minor discomfort.
During the postoperative period, it is necessary to visit the ophthalmologist for follow-up, who usually prescribes corticosteroids, antibiotics and topical lubrication with artificial tear, as well as ointment and gels. This will allow the total union of the graft with the rest of the tissues of the eye.
Possible risks
The operation of the nail in the eye without sutures has some risks, although are smaller than in traditional surgery. The biggest problem is the so-called inadvertent detachment, that is, the graft falls off.
As a general rule, it does not occur if the indications of the ophthalmologist are followed and the bandage is not modified. If this happens, you have to repeat the procedure again.
Contrary to the traditional technique, the risk of recurrence is minimal. In fact, it is less than 5%, although it depends on the patient's origin and lifestyle. For example, sun exposure can increase the risk, something that makes it more common in countries along the equatorial belt.
Said recurrence is only present during the first months, so that, if no recurrence has appeared during that time, it will never appear again.
If the pterygium is accompanied by astigmatism, usually goes away. Otherwise, you will need to wear glasses or have corrective surgery, usually a corneal operation, aimed at permanently fixing astigmatism.
Result
We have been using this surgical technique for a year, using it in cases where it is not necessary to resort to mucosal implants. In addition, the results obtained are very good, with a very short pterygium surgery recovery time. Patients can lead an almost normal life after 3 days and the recurrence rate has decreased by more than 50% compared to the values obtained with classical techniques.
This new technique can help improve expectations in pterygium patients, especially in those cases that have difficulties when considering surgery. Furthermore, it is about the pterygium operation with the shortest recovery time and with a lower percentage of recurrences.
If you notice any unwanted discomfort in the eye or vision problems, we advise you to go to the ophthalmologist sooner. Remember that regular check-ups and quick action can minimize the problems of eye disease, as well as detect invisible problems early and facilitate their recovery.
En Área Oftalmológica Avanzada We are specialists in pterygium surgery without sutures, as well as other interventions related to vision. If you need an appointment or want more information about our procedures, visit our contact page.
Our specialists will take care of solving your problems and making you see correctly again. Don't wait any longer and have the best!
Laser Pterygium Video
Thank you very much for the information. Great contribution from this website. Cheers!
Thank you very much for your comment Alicia.
is the treatment painful? and the cost
Dear Alfredo,
Laser Pterygium surgery is not painful for the patient as it is performed under the effects of topical anesthesia with sedation.
Regarding the cost, it is based on the needs of each person, so without an in-person assessment at our ophthalmological center we cannot indicate the price. On the other hand, it is also important for the price to know if you have a mutual or not.
Greetings,