Posters

Necrotizing scleritis following pterygium surgery

Poster Details

First Author: N.Alyusuf BAHRAIN

Co Author(s):    H. Alhermi              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

to report an unusual case of necrotizing scleritis following pterygium surgery

Setting:

Follow up of a surgical case of pterygium post operatively and documenting the progress of the disease. The surgery was performed by the principal author and followed by both the author and the co-author. The patient had the surgery as a day case, and was followed up in the outpatient department

Methods:

reporting a 52 years old Bahraini male who underwent pterygium surgery with amniotic membrane transplant without adjunctive therapy of mitomycin C or beta irradiation. Post operatively, he developed necrotizing scleritis at the site of pterygium surgery. He underwent conjunctival graft on the scleritis. One week post operatively, The conjunctival graft melted and the scleritis persisted. Subsequently, he had scleral patch graft on the sclera defect overlayed by a conjunctival autograft. His post operative course was uneventful.

Results:

This case shows that scleral melt can happen post pterygium surgery with amniotic membrane transplant . This complication is well documented following the use of adjunctive therapy such as mitomycin C or beta irradiation .It has also been reported following pterygium surgery with the bare sclera technique. To our knowledge this is the first reported case of necrotizing scleritis without adjunctive treatment and with amniotic membrane transplant.

Conclusions:

Ophthalmic surgeons should take this complication of necritizing scleritis into consideration before any pterygium surgery even with amniotic membrane transplant and without adjuctive therapies. Scleral patch graft overlied by a conjunctival graft is useful in such cases. FINANCIAL INTEREST: NONE