AIM: To evaluate effectiveness of the treatment of limbal autograft stem cells transplantation combined with the use of mitomycin C(MMC)for pterygium on the postoperative recurrence and repairing time of corneal epithelial.

METHODS: All the relevant reported studies were searched out through Cochrane Datebase, Pubmed, China BioMedical Literature Database(CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI), VIP and Wanfang Database which published before December 2012. All the randomized controlled trials(RCT)which accessed the recurrence of pterygium by comparing the treatment of limbal autograft stem cells transplantation with the additional use of MMC during limbal autograft stem cells transplantation were included. The data were analyzed by RevMan 5.1 software provided by Cochrane Collaboration Network.

RESULTS: Totally 217 studies were included at first and 12 RCT were included at last. A total of 1 044 eyes were included. Twelve RCT were analyzed with Meta-analysis: the postoperative recurrence rate had statistical significance between limbal autograft stem cells transplantation and limbal autograft stem cells transplantation combined MMC,(OR=0.23,95% CI:0.15-0.36, Z=6.40, P<0.01). Six studies of RCT about repairing time of corneal epithelial showed that repairing time of corneal epithelial had no statistical significance between limbal autograft stem cells transplantation and limbal autograft stem cells transplantation combined MMC by Meta-analysis(MD=0.62, 95% CI: 0.62-1.85, Z=0.98, P=0.33).

CONCLUSION: The application of MMC with the treatment of limbal autograft stem cells transplantation can reduce the recurrence of pterygium, while it has no effect on the repairing time of limbal epithelium.