title: [Recurrence rates after pterygium excision with sliding conjunctival flap versus free conjunctival autograft].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  After simple excision without additional surgical measures, pterygiums demonstrate high recurrence rates. According to the literature, recurrences may occur in up to 83% after simple excision compared to 5-21% after excision combined with conjunctival autografts. An alternative to the free conjunctival graft is the sliding conjunctival graft.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data of 50 patients operated over a period of 8 years were evaluated retrospectively. The long-term results after pterygium excision with free conjunctival graft vs sliding conjunctival flap were compared with data extracted from the literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average follow-up was 23 months. During this period, 18.5% of 27 operated eyes with free conjunctival grafts developed a recurrence of pterygium. After excision with sliding conjunctival grafts only 6.9% of 29 operated and examined eyes developed recurrences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study pterygium excision combined with sliding conjunctival graft was a simplified surgical technique with a lower recurrence rate compared to the free conjunctival graft.
authors.affiliation: Augenklinik der Otto-von-Guericke-Universität, 39120, Magdeburg. sandra.mueller@medizin.uni-magdeburg.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stahn
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Behrens-Baumann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D011625:Pterygium / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D013524:Surgical Flaps