AIM: To investigate the surgery effectiveness between topical anesthesia and topical combined local anesthesia in pterygium excision with limbal stem cell transplantation.

METHODS: It was a prospective clinical study. Totally 48 primary pterygium cases(52 eyes)who needed pterygium excision combined with limbal stem cell transplantation were divided into group A and group B according to random number table. 23 cases(26 eyes)in group A received topical anesthesia combined local anesthesia of 20g/L lidocaine subconjunctival infiltration, while 25 cases(26 eyes)in group B underwent topical anesthesia simply. All patients were performed the same operation mode. The main survey indexes included operative time, anesthesia effectiveness, the matching degree of graft, subconjunctival hemorrhage and recurrence rate 6 months after surgery.

RESULTS: The operation time of group B was shorter than that of group A. There was significant difference between group A and group B(P<0.05). Patients in group B had less subconjunctival hemorrhage. There was no significant difference in paining and matching degree of graft between group A and group B(P>0.05). Followed up for 6 months, 1 case(1 eye)recurrence was found in group A, while none in group B. No statistical difference was noted between two groups with recurrence.

CONCLUSION: Topical anesthesia is satisfied to be used in pterygium excision with autologous limbal stem cell transplantation. With the topical anesthesia, we can remove the pathological tissues clearly, match planting bed with graft better, make a shortened operative time and decrease operative blood loss.