AIM: To observe the efficacy of pterygium excision combined with autologous limbal epithelial bulbar conjunctival transplantation in the treatment of patients with pterygium.

METHODS:Prospective controlled study. A total of 102 patients(102 eyes)with pterygium treated in the hospital between October 2015 and October 2019 were selected as study subjects, and they were divided into observation group and control group according to the random number table method, with 51 cases in each group. The control group was treated with pterygium excision combined with amniotic membrane transplantation, and the observation group was given pterygium excision combined with autologous limbal epithelial bulbar conjunctival transplantation. The perioperative indicators(intraoperative blood loss, surgical time, corneal epithelial repair time)and clinical efficacy at 3mo after surgery were compared between the two groups, and the disease recovery-related indicators \〖tear film break-up time(BUT), uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA), Schirmer Ⅰ test(SⅠt), corneal astigmatism degree(CAD)\〗 before and 3mo after surgery, postoperative aesthetic degree and recurrence during follow-up were recorded.

RESULTS:The corneal epithelial repair time in observation group was shorter than that in control group(4.14±1.35 vs 4.72±1.37d,P<0.05), while the surgical time was longer than that in control group(32.24±6.69 vs 29.67±5.21min,P<0.05), and there was no statistical significance in the intraoperative blood loss between the two groups(P>0.05). At 3mo after surgery, there was no statistical difference in the effective rate of treatment between the two groups(86.3% vs 78.4%, P>0.05). At 3mo after surgery, the BUT, UCVA and SⅠt in the two groups were significantly enhanced compared with those before surgery(all P<0.05), and the UCVA and SⅠt in observation group were higher than those in control group(all P<0.05), but there was no statistical difference in the BUT between the two groups(P>0.05). The CAD in the two groups was significantly lower than that before surgery(P<0.05), but the difference was not significant between the groups(P>0.05). At 3mo after surgery, the scores of dimensions of aesthetic scale for pterygium treatment(ocular recovery, subjective symptoms)were significantly higher in observation group than those in control group(all P<0.05), but there were no statistical differences in the scores of cleanliness of surgical area and congestion between the two groups(all P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in recurrence rate between the two groups during follow-up(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Pterygium excision combined with autologous limbal epithelial bulbar conjunctival transplantation can effectively treat pterygium and prevent recurrence, and it has faster postoperative recovery and better aesthetic degree compared to pterygium excision combined with amniotic membrane transplantation.