Cosmetic outcome of femtosecond laserassisted pterygium surgery

Background:To examine the cosmetic outcome of femtosecond laser-assisted pterygium surgery(FLAPS)with conjunctival autograft(CAG)and its potential predictive factors.Methods:This Was a prospective interventional case series(NCT02866968).We included 29 patients(29 eyes)with primary pterygium who underwent FLAPS.Cosmetic outcome was graded by two graders(an ophthalmology resident and an experienced ophthalmologist)using Hirst classification system(1-4:excellent-poor).Weighted Cohen's kappa analysis was performed to examine the intra-and inter-rater reliability.The relationship between cosmetic outcome and various factors were determined by Spearman's correlation coefficients(r).Results:The preoperative severity of pterygium(Tan grading system)was mild/atrophic(7%),moderate/intermediate(62%),and severe/fleshy(31%).An ultrathin CAG(mean thickness of 74.5±9.8μm)was fashioned intraoperatively.An excellent cosmetic outcome of FLAPS(median±IQR)was observed at 3 months(1.0±1.0)and remained similar at 6 months(1.0±0.0)and 12 months(1.0±0.0)postoperatively.At final fllow-up,27(93%)patients achieved good-to-excellent cosmetic outcome,with 1(3%)patient having a poor outcome due to incomplete pterygium removal.Weighted kappa analysis of Hirst grading system showed excellent intra-rater(k:0.86-0.95)and inter-rater reliability(k:0.84-0.88).There was a weak and borderline significant correlation between good cosmetic outcome and reduced postoperative CAG thickness(r=0.38,P=0.06)but not with age,gender,preoperative pterygium severity,or intraoperative CAG thickness.Conclusions:FLAPS can result in an excellent cosmetic outcome,which may be attributed to the beneficial effect of an ultrathinCAG.Trial registration:ClinicalTrials.gov,NCT02866968.Registered in July 2016.

Cosmetic outcome of femtosecond laserassisted pterygium surgery

Background:To examine the cosmetic outcome of femtosecond laser-assisted pterygium surgery(FLAPS)with conjunctival autograft(CAG)and its potential predictive factors.Methods:This was a prospective interventional case series(NCT02866968).We included 29 patients(29 eyes)with primary pterygium who underwent FLAPS.Cosmetic outcome was graded by two graders(an ophthalmology resident and an experienced ophthalmologist)using Hirst classification system(1-4=excellent-poor).Weighted Cohen’s kappa analysis was performed to examine the intra-and inter-rater reliability.The relationship between cosmetic outcome and various factors were determined by Spearman’s correlation coefficients(r).Results:The preoperative severity of pterygium(Tan grading system)was mild/atrophic(7%),moderate/intermediate(62%),and severe/fleshy(31%).An ultrathin CAG(mean thickness of 74.5±9.8μm)was fashioned intraoperatively.An excellent cosmetic outcome of FLAPS(median±IQR)was observed at 3 months(1.0±1.0)and remained similar at 6months(1.0±0.0)and 12months(1.0±0.0)postoperatively.At final follow-up,27(93%)patients achieved good-to-excellent cosmetic outcome,with 1(3%)patient having a poor outcome due to incomplete pterygium removal.Weighted kappa analysis of Hirst grading system showed excellent intra-rater(κ=0.86-0.95)and inter-rater reliability(κ=0.84-0.88).There was a weak and borderline significant correlation between good cosmetic outcome and reduced postoperative CAG thickness(r=0.38,P=0.06)but not with age,gender,preoperative pterygium severity,or intraoperative CAG thickness.Conclusions:FLAPS can result in an excellent cosmetic outcome,which may be attributed to the beneficial effect of an ultrathin CAG.