BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of conjunctival autograft compared with primary closure and amniotic membrane transplantation for primary pterygium excision.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were retrospectively studied from all primary pterygium excisions from January 2002 to December 2017 from the electronic database at the University Eye Hospital, Tübingen.

RESULTS: From 521 primary pterygium excisions, 284 (54.5%) were primary closures, 203 (39.0%) were conjunctival autografts, and 34 (6.5%) were amniotic membrane transplants. The mean number of primary pterygium excisions was 33 per year (range, 14–56 per year). The mean patient age was 58±15 years. Younger age was associated with a significantly increased recurrence rate (P=0.002). The mean pterygium recurrence rate in the three study groups at 12 months after surgery was 11.3% (range, 6.4–14.7%). Recurrence occurred 13 patients (6.4%) in the conjunctival autograft group, 41 patients (14.4%) in the primary closure group, and five patients (14.7%) in the amniotic membrane transplantation group. Conjunctival autograft was associated with a significantly lower recurrence rate (P=0.005).

CONCLUSIONS: A retrospective study at a single center to compare conjunctival autograft with primary closure and amniotic membrane transplantation for primary pterygium excision showed a significantly lower recurrence rate after surgery using a conjunctival autograft.

Keywords: Amnion, autografts, Biological Dressings, Conjunctiva, Pterygium, Recurrence, Transplantation, Autologous