Recurrence and complications after 1,000 surgeries using pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant.

OBJECTIVE

To document the recurrence rate and complication rate of pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant.

DESIGN

An open, prospective study of consecutive pterygium patients undergoing pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant.

PARTICIPANTS AND CONTROLS

The study included 1000 consecutive patients undergoing pterygium surgery between August 2001 and September 2009.

INTERVENTIONS

All patients underwent pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant by the author with attempted follow-up for 1 year.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Recurrence and complication rates.

RESULTS

Follow-up of >1 year was obtained in 99% of patients. There was 1 recurrence in the 1000 surgeries (0.1%) with 95% confidence intervals of 0.003%-0.56% (Fischer exact test). Seven patients required further surgery: 3 had graft replacements, and 1 each for recurrence, strabismus, inclusion cyst, and granuloma. One patient lost 4 lines of vision from a corneal ulcer.

CONCLUSIONS

Pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant results in one of the lowest recurrence rates reported in the world's literature and an acceptable complication rate.