A Clinical Study of the Recurrence in Primary Pterygia

ABSTRACT

We made the clinical evaluation of the 110 primary pterygia which were excised according to D'ombrain bare sclera method and modified Bangerter method at Chunchon Sacred Heart Hospital from May of 1985 to April of 1987. The followup period ranged from 3 months to 12 months(average: 6 months). The results were as follows: 1. The total recurrence rate was 7.3%. 2. The bilaterality in recurrent group was 62.5%, whereas was 34.3% in nonrecurrent group(p<0.05). 3. The number of vessels(from the base of pterygium toward apex) in recurrent group was 27-35(average: 30.6 +/- 2.6), whereas was 8-32(average: 20.5 +/- 6.1) in non-recurrent group(p<0.05). 4. The incidence of the previous recurrent history of the other eye in recurrent group was 37.5%, whereas was 3.9% in non-recurrent group(p<0.05). 5. The recurrence rate in modified Bangerter method group was 1.6%, whereas was 15.2% in D'ombrain bare sclera method group(p<0.05) and the modified Bangerter method group gave very good esthetic results.