Low Recurrence Rate of Pterygium After Excision With Conjunctival Limbal Autograft: A Retrospective Study With Long-Term Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: Pterygium excision with conjunctival limbal autograft (CLAG) has been used successfully for prevention of pterygium recurrence. However, long-term follow-up data in the literature are lacking regarding CLAG.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review and standard statistical analysis were performed. The records of 289 patients who underwent 323 pterygium excision procedures with CLAG, performed by a single surgeon using the same technique between August 1989 and July 2013, were reviewed. Procedures with at least 4 months of follow-up were included in the final analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 234 procedures met the inclusion criteria. After a median follow-up of 25.5 months, there were 5 recurrences (2.14%) after pterygium excision with CLAG. Recurrences were observed in 4 of 58 (6.9%) cases with recurrent pterygium and 1 of 178 (0.57%) with primary pterygium.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the safety and efficacy of CLAG in preventing the recurrence of primary and recurrent pterygium.