Low Recurrence Rate of Pterygium After Excision With Conjunctival Limbal Autograft: A Retrospective Study With Long-Term Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: Pterygium excision with conjunctival limbal autograft (CLAG) has been used successfully for prevention of pterygium recurrence. However, long-term follow-up data in the literature are lacking regarding CLAG. METHODS: Retrospective chart review and standard statistical analysis were performed. The records of 289 patients who underwent 323 pterygium excision procedures with CLAG, performed by a single surgeon using the same technique between August 1989 and July 2013, were reviewed. Procedures with at least 4 months of follow-up were included in the final analysis. RESULTS: A total of 234 procedures met the inclusion criteria. After a median follow-up of 25.5 months, there were 5 recurrences (2.14%) after pterygium excision with CLAG. Recurrences were observed in 4 of 58 (6.9%) cases with recurrent pterygium and 1 of 178 (0.57%) with primary pterygium. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the safety and efficacy of CLAG in preventing the recurrence of primary and recurrent pterygium.