title: Pterygium: A review of clinical features and surgical treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ptergium is a frequently encountered clinical entity in ophthalmic practice. Although commoner in the tropics compared with the temperate region, all Ophthalmologists worldwide should be conversant with the clinical features and outcome of various approaches to surgical management. A review of the efficacy of the currently available surgical procedures for pterygium excision using postoperative recurrences as the main outcome measure is presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  Manual and electronic (PUBMED, MEDLINE, AJOL AND HINARI) search for medical literature relevant to clinical features and surgical treatment of pterygium was conducted. Previous reviews, large case series reports, randomized controlled trials and one meta-analysis were selected and critically reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative recurrence is a dominant complication of pterygium excision irrespective of the adopted surgical procedure. Pterygium excision with adjunctive therapy and ocular surface reconstruction is the current procedure of choice in view of its comparatively higher efficacy in preventing recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recurrence is the commonest postoperative complication of pterygium excision. There is need for further research into the aetiopathogenesis and risk factors for recurrence of human pterygia.
authors.affiliation: Department Of Ophthalmology, University Of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-ozala, Enugu. Xy3165767@yahoo.com
authors.forename: B I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Eze
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Maduka-okafor
authors.forename: O I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Okoye
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chuka-okosa
mesh_terms: D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D006801:Humans; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011625:Pterygium / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012008:Recurrence