Comparison between Sutureless and Sutured Conjunctival Autograft for Surgical Treatment of Pterygium

Abstract

Background: Pterygium, a progressive eye condition, is marked by the growth of fibrovascular tissue from the subconjunctival area to  the cornea, resembling wings. A novel, straightforward, and reasonably priced method for managing pterygiums, sutureless conjunctival autograft has few known side effects.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the sutureless conjunctival autograft technique compared to traditional suturing  methods in securing the graft after pterygium removal.

Patients and methods: In a prospective, interventional, comparative study at Al Ahrar Teaching Hospital in Zagazig, Egypt, 20 pterygium- affected eyes were surgically treated. Participants were assigned to two groups, with 10 patients each. Group A underwent the sutureless  procedure, with a bandage applied tightly for 24 hours post-surgery. In contrast, group B's grafts were secured using 8/0 polyglycolic  acid sutures.

Results: The operation duration for group A was significantly shorter than that for group B (P=0.001). At 7 days  postoperation, group A reported notably less pain than group B (P=0.05). Improvements in visual acuity and reduction in astigmatism  were observed in both groups, without significant differences. The sutureless method resulted in one instance of graft displacement  (10%), while the sutured approach had one recurrence (10%).

Conclusion: The sutureless technique for conjunctival autografts presented  a safe, efficient, and cost-effective alternative for pterygium surgery. Its outcomes were on par with the traditional sutured  method, with the advantages of fewer post-surgical complications, reduced discomfort, and higher patient satisfaction.