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Sliding conjunctival flap for the treatment of primary pterygium
J A McCoombes1, L W Hirst, G P Isbell
1Department of Surgery, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia.
Background:
The major problems after pterygium removal are recurrence and complications of the therapy. The authors investigated a simple surgical treatment without adjunctive therapy for primary pterygium.
Methods:
Patients eligible to be included in the study were identified from a pterygium treatment log. They represent consecutive cases over a 6 1/2-year period, all of whom had been treated by one surgeon using a superior, sliding, conjunctival flap to cover the pterygium defect. An attempt was made to obtain follow-up of at least 1 year for each patient.
Results:
Two hundred fifty-eight eyes in 236 patients were included in the study. Two hundred twenty-two eyes (86%) were able to be followed by either record review or re-examination. Seven pterygia (3.2%) recurred, all identified by record review, with no recurrences identified by re-examination. Recurrences were more likely after early postoperative flap retraction (5 of 7 recurrences) and recurrence occurred at a mean interval of 4.3 months (range, 1.5-11 months) after surgery. Symptomatically, the patients were comfortable, and the cosmetic result was good.
Conclusion:
This study indicates that this simple surgical procedure for the treatment of primary pterygium should be evaluated further by controlled clinical trials.