The use of fibrin glue in pterygium surgery with amniotic membrane transplantation: Systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes of fibrin glue versus sutures in pterygium surgery with amniotic membrane transplantation. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Guidelines. An electronic search identified all studies comparing the outcomes of using fibrin glue versus sutures in pterygium surgery with amniotic membrane transplantation. Conjunctival inflammation, postoperative pain and discomfort, pterygium recurrence, pyogenic granuloma, and surgical time were primary outcome measures. Secondary outcome measures included amniotic membrane transplant outcomes, time to recurrence, graft loss, and subconjunctival hemorrhage. Fixed and random-effects models were used for the analysis. RESULTS: Four studies enrolling 180 patients were identified. Conjunctival inflammation (odds ratio [OR] 0.21, P = 0.0005) demonstrated a significant difference favoring the fibrin glue group. Despite the trend favoring the use of fibrin glue, there were no significant differences in terms of postoperative pain and discomfort (OR = 0.46, P = 0.25), pterygium recurrence (OR = 0.74, P = 0.48), pyogenic granuloma (OR = 0.47, P = 0.38), and surgical time (mean difference = -17.52, P = 0.13). For secondary outcomes, fibrin glue had significantly fewer cases of graft loss compared with sutures. No statistically significant difference was found in amniotic membrane graft outcomes, time to recurrence, and subconjunctival hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Fibrin glue is comparable to the sutures used in pterygium surgery with amniotic membrane transplantation as it significantly improves conjunctival inflammation and does not increase postoperative pain and discomfort, pterygium recurrence, pyogenic granuloma, and surgical time.