Outcome of Pterygium Excision with Conjunctival Autograft in a Tertiary Hospital in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Aim: To report the outcome of pterygium surgery with conjunctival autograft at a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria. Methods: This is a retrospective non comparative study of post operative outcomes in which the medical records of all patients who had pterygium excision with conjunctival autograft from July 2016 to June 2021 at Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital Calabar, Nigeria were reviewed. All the patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months. Data collected were sex, age, grade of pterygium, indication for pterygium surgery, post operative complications and recurrent pterygium growth. Results: Forty – three eyes of 38 patients were operated on. There were 23 males and 15 females (M:F = 1.5:1). Age range was 28 to 61 years (mean 40.9 ± 8.4). Age range with the highest surgery was 31 to 40 years. Grade two pterygium accounted for most of the cases (88.4%) followed by grade three (9.3%) and grade one (2.3%). The most common indication for pterygium surgery was cosmetic (55.8%) followed by recurrent inflammation (34.9%) and the least indication was blurring of vision (9.3%). Of the 43 eyes operated, one had recurrence giving a recurrence rate of 2.3%. One patient each developed granuloma and conjunctival cyst while three patients had subgraft hemorrhage. Conclusion: Primary pterygium excision with conjunctival autograft has a low recurrence rate consistent with previously published reports.