Pterygium: clinical classification and management in Virgin Islands

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Research

Background:

• Pterygium, a common ocular condition, can recur after surgical excision.
• Predicting recurrence is essential for managing patient expectations and optimizing treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate pterygium recurrence rates after surgical excision.
• To identify preoperative risk factors associated with pterygium recurrence.

Main Methods:

• Surgical excision of pterygium was performed by a single surgeon on 300 patients.
• Postoperative follow-up for one year included topical vasoconstrictors and artificial tears only.
• Patients were assessed for recurrence, classified as active or passive, and correlated with preoperative risk factors.

Main Results:

• Nineteen recurrences (6.3%) were observed in the study cohort.
• A higher number of preoperative risk factors correlated with increased pterygium recurrence.
• Primary pterygium excision with suture closure had a 5.0% recurrence rate (13 of 270 eyes).

Conclusions:

• Preoperative risk factor assessment can help predict pterygium recurrence probability.
• Minimizing risk factors may reduce postoperative pterygium regrowth.
• Wide excision and suture closure demonstrated a relatively low recurrence rate for primary pterygia.