The use of combined minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of recurrent pterygium

Pterygium, or wing-shaped membrane, is one of the most common eye diseases, especially prevalent in regions with high levels of ultraviolet radiation. In Central Asia, this disease affects between 1% and 6% of the total population, which allows this region to be classified as part of the so-called “pterygium belt,” located approximately within ±40˚ of the equator. Pterygium accounts for a significant proportion of eye diseases in our country — in urban areas, it ranges from 2% to 2.5%, which highlights the importance of finding effective treatment methods. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of minimally invasive surgery in combination with 5fluorouracil in the treatment of recurrent forms of pterygium. The study included 11 patients (11 eyes) with recurrent pterygium stages I–III. All patients underwent standard ophthalmological examinations to assess their initial condition and dynamics after the intervention. The combined treatment technique used included standard mini autoconjunctival plasty, during which an anesthetic and 5-fluorouracil were administered to the autograft area prior to flap excision to increase the effectiveness of the procedure. No serious complications were recorded during the intraoperative and postoperative periods, which indicates the safety of the method used. In all operated patients, visual acuity in the postoperative period ranged from 0.6 to 1.0, and the remaining ophthalmological indicators remained within normal limits. The new method of combined minimally invasive pterygium surgery that we have proposed has proven to be highly effective and safe and has provided excellent cosmetic results, which gives us reason to recommend it for widespread use in clinical practice