Postoperative instillation of 0.04% mitomycin C in the treatment of primary pterygium in Zaire.

Purpose: to investigate, in the first report in Central Africa, the influence of tropical Mitomycin C on the recurrence rate and on the complications after surgical treatment for primary pterygium.
Methods: Sixty-six patients with primary pterygia underwent excision of the lesion, leaving the sclera bare. Patients were randomized in two groups: in one group (36 eyes in 33 patients) 0.04% mitomycin C eye drops were used four times daily during two weeks or longer after surgery, the other group (41 eyes in 33 patients) underwent only surgery. The mean follow-up period was 6 months (range, one to 24 months).
Results: seven (19.4%) pterygia recurred in the group of eyes treated with topical 0.04% mitomycin C and 11 (26.8%) in the group of eyes treated without this drug. This difference was not significant (p > 0.05). Complications were observed in two (5.6%) eyes in group 1 and included conjunctival granuloma (one eye) and transient ocular hypertension. In group 2, complications were noted in four eyes (9.8%) and included conjunctival granulomas (three eyes) and symblepharon (one eye). Ocular hypertension could be due to instillation of mitomycin C. No group had significantly more complications.
Conclusion: primary excision of pterygium with postoperative instillation of 0.04% mitomycin C had a higher rate of occurrence in this study than previously reported in Japan, in the USA and Europe.