Recurrence and complications after 1,000 surgeries using pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant.

OBJECTIVE: To document the recurrence rate and complication rate of pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant.

DESIGN: An open, prospective study of consecutive pterygium patients undergoing pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant.

PARTICIPANTS AND CONTROLS: The study included 1000 consecutive patients undergoing pterygium surgery between August 2001 and September 2009.

INTERVENTIONS: All patients underwent pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant by the author with attempted follow-up for 1 year.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Recurrence and complication rates.

RESULTS: Follow-up of >1 year was obtained in 99% of patients. There was 1 recurrence in the 1000 surgeries (0.1%) with 95% confidence intervals of 0.003%-0.56% (Fischer exact test). Seven patients required further surgery: 3 had graft replacements, and 1 each for recurrence, strabismus, inclusion cyst, and granuloma. One patient lost 4 lines of vision from a corneal ulcer.

CONCLUSIONS: Pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant results in one of the lowest recurrence rates reported in the world's literature and an acceptable complication rate.