RECURRENCE RATE AFTER PRIMARY PTERYGIUM-E XCISION, PHOTOTHERAPEUTIC KERATECTOMY WITH THE ARF-EXCIMERLASER AND LOCAL APPLICATION OF MITOMYCIN-C

Background In this clinical trial the recurrence-rate after primary pt erygium-excision, phototherapeutic keratectomy with the ArF:excimerlas er acid local application of mitomycin C should be estimated. Material and Methods Forty eyes of 38 patients underwent primary pterygium-exc ision using a bare-sclera technique. All patients underwent photothera peutic keratectomy (PTK) with the ArF:excimerlaser of the wound region . Postoperative all patients were treated with mitomycin C 0.02% twice daily for four days and for 4-6 weeks with a combination of gentamyci n and dexametason eye drops triple a day. Minimum follow-up was 24 mon th (median 41 month). Results Two eyes developed a recurrence after 12 and 28 month respectively. The overall recurrence rate was 5% (cornea l recurrence 2.5%). One patient developed a minute granuloma in the ar ea of the excision. There were no other complications during the follo w-up. Conclusions The excison of pterygium using the bare-sclera techn ique, phototherapeutic keratektomy und local application of mitomycin C 0.02% eye drops is a safe methode with a low recurrence-rate. All re currences occured after more than one pear postoperatively.