Conjunctival autografting in the surgical management of pterygium

Abstract

In a retrospective survey of 117 operations for primary or recurrent pterygium, conjunctival autografting was compared with both excision without conjunctival closure (舖bare sciera excision舗) and excision with complete conjunctival closure. The probability of corneal recurrence at 36 months after surgery was determined by survival curve analysis. In previously unoperated cases conjunctival autografting (n a 15) resulted in a 147 probability of recurrence, compared with 707 for bare sciera excision (n a 50) and 697 for excision with complete conjunctival closure (n a 20). In previously operated cases conjunctival autografting (n a 17) resulted in a 77 probability of recurrence, compared with 827 for bare sciera excision (n a 15). Hazard ratio analysis confirmed the statistical significance of these results at the 957 confidence level. Conjunctival autografting was more likely to produce an improvement in visual acuity than other forms of surgery. © 1993, Royal College of Ophthalmologists. All right reserved.