Brimonidine Tartrate for Pterygium Surgery

Summary

Pterygium excision and conjunctival autograft surgery is commonly done to treat pterygiums. Excessive bleeding during the procedure creates a challenging operating field, prolongs surgery time, and prolongs healing. Brimonidine tartrate has a vasoconstrictive effect, which helps to reduce the amount of blood flow and hyperemia to the eye. Preoperative use of brimonidine has been shown to decrease subconjunctival hemorrhage during procedures such as cataract surgery, laser assisted in situ keratomileusis, strabismus surgery, and intravitreal injections. The focus of this study is to assess the effect of preoperative application of brimonidine tartrate 0.15% (Alphagan) and 0.025% (Lumify) on reducing hemorrhage during pterygium excision and conjunctival autograft surgery.

Timeline

Start

2021-02

Primary completion

2021-07

Completion

2021-09

Publications

• Background Desco MC, Navea A, Ferrer E, Menezo JL. Effect of prophylactic brimonidine on bleeding complications after cataract surgery. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2005 Mar-Apr;15(2):228-32. doi: 10.1177/112067210501500209.
• Background Hong S, Kim CY, Seong GJ, Han SH. Effect of prophylactic brimonidine instillation on bleeding during strabismus surgery in adults. Am J Ophthalmol. 2007 Sep;144(3):469-70. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2007.04.038.
• Background Kim CS, Nam KY, Kim JY. Effect of prophylactic topical brimonidine (0.15%) administration on the development of subconjunctival hemorrhage after intravitreal injection. Retina. 2011 Feb;31(2):389-92. doi: 10.1097/IAE.0b013e3181eef28e.
• Background Munoz G, Albarran-Diego C, Sakla HF, Javaloy J. Increased risk for flap dislocation with perioperative brimonidine use in femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2009 Aug;35(8):1338-42. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2009.03.029.
• Background Norden RA. Effect of prophylactic brimonidine on bleeding complications and flap adherence after laser in situ keratomileusis. J Refract Surg. 2002 Jul-Aug;18(4):468-71. doi: 10.3928/1081-597X-20020701-10.
• Background Ucar F, Cetinkaya S. The Results of Preoperative Topical Brimonidine Usage in Pterygium Surgery. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther. 2020 May;36(4):234-237. doi: 10.1089/jop.2019.0085. Epub 2020 Feb 27.

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