title: Limbal autograft transplantation for recurrent and advanced pterygia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to examine the usefulness of limbal autograft transplantation in the treatment of recurrent and advanced pterygia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven patients with recurrent and 16 with advanced pterygia (a total of 27 pterygia) were treated with limbal autograft transplantation. Once a pterygium had been excised, superior limbal tissue was taken with conjunctival flap and transferred to the excised area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the grafts were planted promptly, and donor sites were re-epithelialized with no excessive scar tissue formation. Although slight recurrence was noted in 2 eyes (7.4%), subconjunctival tissue invasions were limited to less than 1 mm, and no further surgical interventions were needed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that limbal autograft transplantation may be effective for the treatment of recurrent and advanced pterygia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shimazaki
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsubota
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011625:Pterygium / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016378:Tissue Transplantation; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity