ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Surgery is the common therapy for pterygium, and there are several surgical management techniques.OBJECTIVE: To clinically assess the effect of pterygium retro-resection followed by the transposition of conjunctival autograft rich in stem cells.DESIGN: Follow-up of the cases.SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University.PARTICIPANTS: Fifty patients (60 eyes) with pterygium, who were treated in the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from May 2003 to May 2006, were selected. All patients agreed to receive the treatment and participate in the follow-up. The trial was permitted by the Hospital Ethics Committee.METHODS: The head of pterygium was separated from cornea, including the conjunctiva and the underlying proliferating tissue towards lacrimal caruncle until plica semilunaris. The pterygium was totally removed. The adjacent healthy conjunctiva harboring stem cells was transposed to cover the naked sclera. The patients were evaluated following the operation.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ①Epithelization of cornea and conjunctiva; ②reoccurrence of pterygium.RESULTS: ①The epithelium of cornea and conjunctiva in all cases (60 eyes) healed within 1-2 days after the operation. ②The patients were followed for 8-16 months after the sutures were removed. Out of the total of 60 eyes, 26 were followed for 8-12 months and 34 for 13-16 months. The average length of observation was 12 months. Fifty-eight eyes healed completely, and reoccurrence took place in 2 cases.CONCLUSION: Pterygium resection followed by the transposition of adjacent conjunctival autograft harboring stem cells is easy to perform and effective to reduce the recurrence of the lesion.