Conjunctival rotation autograft for pterygium. An alternative to conjunctival autografting

To determine the safety and efficacy of conjunctival rotation autografting (CRA) as an alternative to conventional conjunctival autograft after pterygium excision.

Prospective noncomparative case series.

Consecutive patients seen at the Pterygium Clinic of the Singapore National Eye Centre who were thought to be unsuitable for conventional conjunctival autografting underwent a modified surgical procedure, which the authors describe as CRA. There were 51 rotation autografts performed on 45 eyes of 43 patients.

In this procedure, the underlying fibrovascular pterygium tissue was removed and the original epithelium (with minimal subepithelial tissue included) replaced over the bare sclera with a 180 degrees rotation. Surgeries were performed by one surgeon (DT) from April 1995 to May 1996.

Pterygium recurrence and complications of CRA were measured.

The mean follow-up time was 12 months (range, 2-22 months). There were 46 primary and 5 recurrent pterygia. The indications for CRA were combined cataract and pterygium surgery (39.2%), double pterygia (31.4%), the need to preserve the superior conjunctiva (21.6%), and superior conjunctival scarring (7.8%). There were two recurrences (4% recurrence rate), one occurring at 4 months and the other occurring at 7 months after surgery. No significant complications were encountered. However, 50% of the grafts remained mildly injected for more than 3 months, and some remained injected for up to 13 months after surgery (average of 4 months). Pigmentary changes were also noted in six grafts (12%).

Conjunctival rotation autografting is a useful technique of conjunctival grafting in cases in which it is not possible or desirable to use the superior conjunctiva as a donor source.