[Limbal epithelial autograft transplantation in treatment of pterygium].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the therapeutic effects of limbal epithelial autograft transplantation and pterygium excision in the treatment of pterygium.

METHODS

A prospective randomized paired-eye trial was studied. There were 208 patients (229 eyes) with initial pterygium, and they were allocated to two groups: excision of pterygium with limbal epithelial autograft transplantation surgery (A group, 106 cases and 124 eyes) and simple pterygium excision (B group, 102 cases and 105 eyes). The criteria for recovery were corneal transparency with stable epithelial healing and no abnormal proliferation of pterygium-like tissue. The post-operative follow-up periods ranged from 18 approximately 28 (22.4 +/- 4.9) months.

RESULTS

Some of the patients lost follow-up. In the eyes followed up, 5 of 11 2 eyes (4.5%) in A group and 41 of 96 eyes (42.7%) in B group were recurred, the difference being very significant (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

To provide a new stem cell source, limbal epithelial autograft transplantation, for an injured limb us is a reasonable therapeutic method for the treatment of pterygium.