Outcomes of the TissueTuck Surgical Technique for Recurrent Pterygium

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of the TissueTuck technique in the treatment of eyes with recurrent pterygium. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on patients with recurrent pterygium who underwent surgical excision, followed by the application of cryopreserved amniotic membrane, using the TissueTuck technique between January 2012 and May 2019. Only patients with at least 3 months of follow-up were included for analysis. Baseline characteristics, operative time, best-corrected visual acuity, and complications were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 44 eyes of 42 patients (age 60.5 ± 10.9 yrs) with single-headed (84.1%) or double-headed (15.9%) recurrent pterygium were included for analysis. The average surgical duration was 22.4 ± 8.0 minutes, and mitomycin C was administered intraoperatively in 31 eyes (72.1%). During a mean postoperative follow-up of 24.6 ± 18.3 months, there was only 1 case of recurrence (2.3%). Other complications include scarring (9.1%), granuloma formation (20.5%), and corneal melt in 1 patient with preexisting ectasia (2.3%). Best-corrected visual acuity significantly improved from 0.16 Logarithm of the Minimum Angle of Resolution at baseline to 0.10 Logarithm of the Minimum Angle of Resolution at the last postoperative follow-up (P = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: TissueTuck surgery with cryopreserved amniotic membrane is safe and effective for recurrent pterygium cases with a low risk of recurrence and complications.