Bevacizumab Injection for Recurrent Pterygium

Overview

Blockade of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with bevacizumab has been used to treat abnormal vascular conditions of the anterior segment of the eye. In pterygium, anti-VEGF agents have been recently proposed as primary treatments, such as perioperative adjuvants, as well as treatments for pterygia recurrences after surgery. The aim of the present study was to prospectively evaluate the effect of three subconjunctival bevacizumab injections in patients with an early pterygium recurrence. Materials and Methods: The current study was a non-randomized single central trial. The method of ensuring allocation concealment was sequentially numbered. Patients with an early pterygium recurrence were selected and invited to participate in the study. Recurrence was defined as the presence of corneal vessels with concomitant conjunctival hyperemia within the first trimester after primary pterygium removal, and only patients with primary pterygium recurrence were included. Patient related factors such as pregnancy, women seeking to become pregnant, and lactating women were excluded from the study. All patients received three subconjunctival bevacizumab (2.5 mg/0.05 ml) injections (basal, 2 and 4 weeks) in the recurrence area of the pterygium, and were photographed at the third, sixth and twelfth months after the last bevacizumab injection. Photographic analyses were performed taking into account two pterygium areas: the first measure included only the vessel area in the corneal surface, while the second measure included, both, conjunctival and corneal vessel area (corneal-conjunctival area of hyperemia). Neovascularization area of each pterygium was determined using digital slit lam pictures, which were analyzed using Photoshop CS4, in order to get pixels measurements of the lesion.

The method of ensuring allocation concealment was sequentially numbered. Patients with an early pterygium recurrence were selected and invited to participate in the study. Recurrence was defined as the presence of corneal vessels with concomitant conjunctival hyperemia within the first trimester after primary pterygium removal, and only patients with primary pterygium recurrence were included. Patient related factors such as pregnancy, women seeking to become pregnant, and lactating women were excluded from the study. All patients received three subconjunctival bevacizumab (2.5 mg/0.05 ml) injections (basal, 2 and 4 weeks) in the recurrence area of the pterygium, and were photographed at the third, sixth and twelfth months after the last bevacizumab injection. Photographic analyses were performed taking into account two pterygium areas: the first measure included only the vessel area in the corneal surface, while the second measure included, both, conjunctival and corneal vessel area (corneal-conjunctival area of hyperemia). Neovascularization area of each pterygium was determined using digital slit lam pictures, which were analyzed using Photoshop CS4, in order to get pixels measurements of the lesion.