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This abstract is assigned to session AOB Free Papers 1

Presentation type	Oral presentation
Title	The use of lidocaine gel versus subconjunctival xylocaine injection in pterygium excision

Purpose	To evaluate the effect of a topical anesthetic gel versus subconjunctival anesthesia on peri- and postoperative pain and on postoperative ocular discomfort in patients undergoing pterygium surgery.
Methods	Design: prospective, randomised clinical trial including 41 patients. Group A patients received 2% lidocaine gel while group B patients received a subconjunctival injection of xylocaine 2% hydrochloride solution with 0.125 epinephrine. Peri- and postoperative pain was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and ocular discomfort was evaluated on postoperative day 1 and 8 using the Ocular Surface Index (OSDI) and Oxford Dry Eye Scale.
Results	There was no statistically significant difference between groups in terms of peri- and postoperative pain, neither for average nor for decrease in average VAS scores (all p>0.05). Postoperative Oxford Dry Eye Scale scores did not differ significantly between groups postoperatively (all p>0.05). Although overall lower OSDI scores were measured for the Lidocaine group on postoperative day 1 and 8 (39.4±28.6 vs 48.1±25.6 and 23.5±14.0 vs 28.2±17.5, respectively), this result was not statistically significant (p = 0.284 and p = 0.500, respectively).
Conclusion	Topical lidocaine gel is an effective and safe alternative to the traditional subconjunctival xylocaine injection for pterygium excision as it provides comparable pain control during surgery. However, our study shows that topical lidocaine gel does not offer significant postoperative advantages in terms of pain, dryness, or irritation.
Conflict of interest	Yes
Details of conflicting interests	LH received an unrestricted research grant from Horus Pharma. The sponsor had no relation to the study design, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, writing of the report.

Authors 1

Initials	L
Last name	Hellinckx
Department	VUB
City	Brussel

Authors 2

Initials	K
Last name	Termote
Department	VUB
City	Brussel