Review of treatment of pterygium in Queensland: 10 years after a primary survey.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the practices in pterygium removal as a follow-up study to a similar project 10 years ago, in order to compare the current trends with those noted a decade ago.


METHODS
A survey was sent to all practising ophthalmologists in Queensland (100).


RESULTS
Eighty-seven of the 100 ophthalmologists undertook pterygium surgery with no change in indications for removal, grading or anaesthesia compared to 10 years ago. Nearly half of the ophthalmologists varied their surgical technique from eight commonly used methods according to the individual patient. More than half the respondents used a swinging conjunctival flap and 29% used simple excision leaving the area bare for primary pterygia, although nearly one-quarter of the ophthalmologists added adjunctive therapies such as beta irradiat on or mitomycin. For recurrent pterygia, one-third of ophthalmologists preferred adjunctve therapies, and 57% used an autoconjunctival transplant.


CONCLUSIONS
There has been no consistent trend in surgical removal of pterygia with a significant number of primary pterygia still removed using bare scleral closure.
Troutbeck
R
R
Department of Surgery, University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Australia.
Hirst
L
L
D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000637:transplantation; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D011625:Pterygium / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D011793:Queensland; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012008:Recurrence; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
D016685:Mitomycin