Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for mitomycin C-induced scleral necrosis

Intraoperative or postoperative use of mitomycin C is one of the treatment options to reduce the recurrence of pterygia. Scleral necrosis, a potentially blinding complication after mitomycin C use, has been among great concern in ophthalmic practice. A patient is presented in whom scleral necrosis developed 20 days after a pterygiectomy with bare sclera technique was performed, followed by the application of 0.4 mg/mL of topical mitomycin C eye drops for 3 weeks. After conjunctival flap failures the patient was treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The sclera revascularized and returned to near normal thickness after 24 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This case demonstrates that it is an effective, novel treatment.