Indian Journal of Ophthalmology (Jan 2007)

Role of concanavalin A lectin in recognition of pterygium remnant after surgical excision: Preliminary results of a prospective study

  • Diaz-Gonzalez Juan,
  • Mayoral-Chavez Miguel,
  • Bohorquez Paulina,
  • de la Torre del Pilar Gabriel,
  • Hernandez-Cruz Pedro,
  • Martinez-Cruz Ruth,
  • Perez-Campos Eduardo

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 55, no. 5
pp. 349 – 353

Abstract

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Background: Pterygium is one of the most common conjunctival diseases among ophthalmic pathologies. The frequency of recurrences is high, either after surgical treatment or after treatment combined with mitomycin C or beta-radiation therapy. Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine whether concanavalin A (ConA) lectin bound to the pterygial surface can be used to detect recurrence or remnants of pterygium after surgical excision. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study on 20 patients with pterygium, divided in five stages, pre-surgery, early post-surgery (24h), late post-surgery (seven days), very late post-surgery (four weeks) and two months after the procedure. A drop of fluorescein-marked Con A (35 µg/mL) was instilled in the lower conjunctival eyelid sac and the eye was exposed to the light of a Wood′s lamp for an average of five seconds. Results: Out of the 20 patients, eight patients were found to have fluorescent stretch marks over the scar corresponding to residual pterygial tissue at four weeks; two months after the procedure of re-surgery we observed no fluorescent remnants. All residual pterygia were confirmed through histochemistry studies. Conclusion: It was possible to detect remnants of pterygium in postoperative patients and recurrences in early pre-clinical stages through the visualization of fluorescent ConA bound to the pterygial surface.

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