[Prospective study of surgical therapy of pterygium: bare sclera technique vs. free conjunctiva-limbus transplant].

Many techniques of pterygium surgery with various rates of recurrence are described in the literature. We report on the outcome after pterygium excision with bare-sclera technique compared with free transplantation of limbal conjunctiva. We used the bare-sclera technique in 21 eyes and performed free transplantation of conjunctiva in 34 eyes. The duration of follow-up was 14 months. In patients operated with the bare-sclera technique there were significantly more recurrences (eight vs four, P < 0.025) and cases of development of pyogenic granuloma (four eyes vs no eyes, P < 0.01). In patients with primary surgery and free limbal transplant we found no case of recurrence, but the bare-sclera technique was associated with a recurrence rate of 35.5% (P < 0.01). We recommend free limbal conjunctival transplantation even in patients with primary surgery of a pterygium.