[Effectiveness of conjunctival autograft transplantation in pterygium surgery].

INTRODUCTION

Pterygium is a fibrovascular overgrowth of bulbar cunjonctiva over the cornea and may produce visual impairment. Many surgical techniques and adjunctive therapies have been proposed but recurrence remains frequent.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

We report a prospective study of 52 eyes treated by limbal conjunctival autograft for primary and recurrent pterygium. We compare our results with the technique of simple excision performed in 111 cases of pterygium (3 being a recurrent pterygium).

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 45 years. 30 cases of pterygium were primary (57.7%) and 22 were recurrent (42.3%). After an average follow-up of 14 months, the incidence of recurrence was 10%. Only 2 of these recurrent cases of pterygium were primary.

DISCUSSION: Conjunctival autograft is a simple, safe, and highly effective procedure for the treatment of pterygium. It reduces the rate of recurrence more than simple excision (55.9% after a follow-up of 1 year).

CONCLUSION

The introduction of limbal conjunctival autograft for the treatment of pterygium meets three main goals: safety, good optical outcome and a lower rate of recurrence. This procedure could be accepted as a successful technique for cases with recurrent pterygium specially in younger patients and when the environment al factors lower the development of recurrent pterygium.