Influencing Factors for Recurrence of Pterygium
Kosol Kampitak MD*, Pawarit Wanichsetakul MD*, Wannisa Suphachearaphan MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Pathumthani, Thailand
Background : Recurrence of pterygium is a major common complication after surgical removal and there are many predisposing
factors associated with the recurrence.
Objective : To evaluate the factors associated with recurrence of pterygium after excision.
Material and Method: A prospective study of 158 pterygium surgeries (158 patients) was performed. Age, gender, primary
or secondary pterygium, size of pterygium, surgeon (staff or resident), and surgical technique, were analyzed by logistic
regression analysis to find whether they had any influence of recurrence. The recurrence was defined as fibrovascular
membrane extending onto the cornea.
Results : Eighty patients (50.6%) were women, and the mean age was 58.7+13.0 years. The mean horizontal size of pterygium
was 3.3+1.3 mm. Forty-eight eyes (30.4%) had recurrence after excision. Only two factors were significantly found to be risk
factors for pterygium recurrence. Secondary pterygium excision were found more recurrences than primary (odds ratio 8.4,
95% confidence interval 1.5 to 48.9). Pterygium excision surgery with bare sclera technique was associated with high rate of
recurrence (odds ratio 37.9, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 1,266.8).
Conclusion : Secondary pterygium and excision with bare sclera technique were the most important factors influencing
pterygium recurrence after surgery.
Keywords : Pterygium, Surgery, Recurrence factors, Secondary pterygium, Bare sclera technique
