Outcomes of pterygium surgery by first-year ophthalmology residents

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate outcomes of pterygium surgery by first-year ophthalmology residents at Thammasat hospital

Methods: Eighty-seven patients who were undergone the pterygium excision by seven  first-year ophthalmology residents at Thammasat hospital from July 2017 to June 2018 were enrolled. Characteristics of patients and pterygium, method of surgery and complications were analyzed.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 58.5+/-11.7 years. Most of the participants were female (n=55; 63.2%). All cases have primary pterygium which were single-head (n=76; 87.4%) and double-head (n=11; 12.6%). Mean size of pterygium on corneal surface was 6.2 mm² (0.8-17.5 mm² in range). Pterygium was excised by using amniotic membrane graft transplantation technique in 77 patients (88.5%) and conjunctival autograft transplantation technique in 10 patients (11.5%). The mean of follow-up duration was 8.2±3.1 months. There was recurrence of pterygium in 13 cases (14.9%), which most of them (n=12; 92.3%) recurred within 6 months after surgery.

Conclusions: The outcomes of pterygium surgery operated by first-year ophthalmology residents at Thammasat hospital was satisfied. The recurrent rate was not high and there were no serious complications.

Keywords: Pterygium surgery, Ophthalmology residents, Amniotic membrane transplantation, Conjunctival autograft transplantation, Recurrence