Limbal-conjunctival Autograft Transplantation Versus Conjunctival Autograft Transplantation In The Treatment Of Pterygium: A Self-control Study

Abstract

Background : Pterygium is a common ocular growth, which affects vision, ocular surface function, and aesthetics of the eye. Although various surgical methods are used for treating pterygium, there has been no consensus on the most suitable method. Therefore, it is important to choose the most appropriate and effective surgical method for the treatment of pterygium. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics and efficacy of limbal-conjunctical autograft transplantation and conjunctival autograft transplantation for the treatment of pterygium. Methods : From August 2015 to December 2016, 80 patients with bilateral primary pterygium in Minhang Hospital affiliated to Fudan University were treated with limbal-conjunctival autograft transplantation in one eye (group A) and conjunctival autograft transplantation in the fellow eye (group B). The operative times of the two surgical methods were compared. The corneal epithelial healing times and recurrence rates for the two methods were observed and recorded after two years of follow-up. Results : Eight patients dropped out of the study and 72 patients participated in the final evaluation. The average operative time for group A and group B was 27.56 1.48 minutes and 26.91 1.39 minutes, respectively. There was no significant difference between the operative times for the two groups (t = 1.93, P = 0.058). The average corneal epithelial healing time for groups A and B was 2.56 0.34 days and 4.85 0.49 days, respectively (t=25.26, P < 0.001). Two years after the surgery, pterygium recurred in two eyes (2.78%) in group A and in nine eyes (14.29%) in group B. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (2=4.82, P=0.028). Conclusion : In primary pterygium surgery, the healing time of the corneal epithelium after limbal-conjunctival autograft transplantation is shorter than that after conjunctival autograft transplantation, and the pterygium recurrence rate after limbal-conjunctival autograft transplantation is lower than that after autologous conjunctival transplantation. Although both limbal-conjunctival autograft transplantation and conjunctival autograft transplantation can achieve good clinical results, limbal-conjunctival autograft transplantation is superior to conjunctival autograft transplantation in terms of the corneal epithelial healing time and recurrence rate of pterygium after surgery.