Incidence of pterygium recurrence in patients treated with thio-tepa.

Our experience with thio-tepa was quite encouraging. We used the agent in 46 eyes postoperatively. In only one case of 21 primary pterygia was there a recurrence. In 11 patients with a pterygium in each eye, there was recurrence in three of 11 untreated eyes and no recurrence in 11 treated eyes. Our follow-up is from six months, for the most recent cases, to 18 months. In the concentration used in this study, the postoperative reaction remained in 39 of 46 treated eyes while the drug was used. After treatment was completed, the eyes became white in a short time. Our results indicate that thio-tepa is effective in reducing the percentage of recurrence of pterygia of all types.