Preserved human amniotic membrane transplantation in the treatment of primary pterygium

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome of simple excision with pre served human amniotic membrane transplantation in the treatment of primary pterygium. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 59 eyes with primary pterygium underwent s urgical excision. In Group 1, 28 eyes were treated with simple excision and preserved human amniotic membrane transplantation. In Group 2, 31 eyes wer e treated with bare sclera excision. These two groups were compared in recu rrence, final appearance of the operation site, and complications. Patients were followed for at least 10 months. RESULTS: During a mean follow up of 14.9 months, we observed 3 (10.7%) recu rrences in Group 1 and 20 (38.7%) recurrences in Group 2 (P:0.03). In Group 1, 20 (71.4%) eyes and 14 (45.2%) eyes in Group 2 had a satisfactory final operation site appearance (P:0.041). No serious complication was observed in both groups. CONCLUSION: Simple excision and preserved human amniotic membrane transplan tation appears to be a safe and effective way of treating primary pterygium because of the lack of serious complications and a relatively low rate of recurrence.