title: A 10-year survey: prevalence of ocular surface squamous neoplasia in clinically benign pterygium specimens.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is essential to assess the yield of routine histopathological examination of pterygium specimens excised from clinically benign pterygium. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of histopathologically identified ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) in clinically benign pterygium specimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective consecutive study consisted of patients from the cornea services of the ophthalmology departments of Meir Medical Center, Kfar Sava, and Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel. Included patients were those with clinically benign pterygium who underwent pterygium excision between January 2002 and December 2011. The pterygium specimens were sent for histopathological examination and the pathology reports were reviewed for evidence of OSSN.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, pathology reports of 682 eyes of 585 sequential patients were included in the study. There was a male predominance of cases (59%). Patients' age ranged from 16 to 87 years with an average age of 56 years. Six hundred and forty-three cases were primary (94%) and 39 cases were recurrent (6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cases of clinically benign pterygium diagnosed and excised by an experienced corneal expert are less likely to harbor OSSN. The yield of routine histopathological examination of such specimens may be low.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , Meir Medical Center , Kfar Sava , Israel .|b The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel .
authors.forename: Fani
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Segev
authors.affiliation: c Department of Ophthalmology , Rambam Health Care Campus , Haifa , Israel .
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mimouni
authors.affiliation: b The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel .|d Department of Ophthalmology , Rabin Medical Center , Petah Tikva , Israel and.
authors.forename: Gili
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tessler
authors.affiliation: b The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel .|d Department of Ophthalmology , Rabin Medical Center , Petah Tikva , Israel and.
authors.forename: Assaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hilely
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , Meir Medical Center , Kfar Sava , Israel .|b The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel .
authors.forename: Shay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ofir
authors.affiliation: b The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel .|e Department of Pathology , Meir Medical Center , Kfar Sava , Israel.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kidron
authors.affiliation: b The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel .|d Department of Ophthalmology , Rabin Medical Center , Petah Tikva , Israel and.
authors.forename: Irit
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bahar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011625:Pterygium / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Israel; ocular surface squamous neoplasia; prevalence; pterygium