The Efficacy of Combined Bandage Contact Lens and Nasal Margin Suture Fixation in Pterygium Patients and Its Impact on Inflammatory Factors

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of the combination of bandage contact lens and nasal margin suture fixation in pterygium resection, specifically examining the effects on IL-6, TNF-α, and TGF-β1. Methods: This prospective research involved the selection of 74 patients who received limbal conjunctival autograft (LCAG) procedures at Cheng Fei Hospital between June 2022 and June 2024. Participants were categorized into two groups based on the fixation techniques employed for the autograft. Group 1 utilized bandage contact lens combined with nasal side suture, while Group 2 employed traditional interrupted suture. All patients underwent a preoperative examination and regular postoperative follow-up. Results: Group 1 exhibited a greater reduction in operative time compared to Group 2( P <0.001). On the 2nd day postoperatively, the thickness of the autograft in Group 1 was found to be greater compared to Group 2 ( P <0.001). However, this trend reversed by the 1st week postoperatively( P <0.001). On the 1st month postoperatively, there was no statistical divergence( P =0.461).On the 2nd day, 3rd day and 1st week postoperatively, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores for group 2 were consistently higher than those for group 1 (all P <0.001). Compared with the levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and TGF-β1 on the 2nd day postoperatively, all cytokines were statistically significantly increased in both groups at one week postoperatively (all P <0.05) and decreased by one month postoperatively(all P <0.05). Furthermore, on the 1st week and 1st month postoperatively, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in group 1 were lower than those in group 2 (all P <0.05).However, At these various time points,the levels of TGF-β1 was no statistical divergence( P <0.05).Regarding postoperative complications, including corneal scar,sub-conjunctival hemorrhage, graft retraction, graft edema and recurrence, no significant differences were observed between the two groups. Conclusions: The combination of bandage contact lens and nasal margin suture fixation is a safe and effective method for treating pterygium, as it reduces postoperative inflammatory reactions and enhances patient comfort.