To evaluate pathology of pterygia excised in shafa medical center of Kerman

In this cross-sectional study pathologic report of 111 cases of pterygia excised by a single surgeon from April 2011 to September 2012 were evaluated. The samples were examined for presence of any malignancy and other abnormal pathologies.

111 eyes of 111 patients were studied. The age of patients was 23-90 (56.5±16.6) years. 60 cases (54.1%) had pterygium and 45 patients had pingecula in their fellow eyes. The main symptoms were decreased vision(79.3%) and surface irritations(17.1%). In 105 (94.6%) the lesion was nasal, 1(0.9%) temporal and 5(4.5%) double (temporal and nasal). The cornea diameter was 10.5-12(11±0.3) mm, the width of pterygium at limbus was 4-9 (6.1±1.2)mm, the length of lesion on cornea was 2-7(3.9±1.2)mm. 67cases (60.4%) were operated(treated) by free or rotational cnjunctival flap and 46(39.6%) by bare sclera technique. In 6(5.4%)cases pathologies other than pterygium were reported. These cases were squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) in 3(2.7%) , carcinoma incitu in 2(1.8%) and ganglion cyst in 1(0.9%).Pathologic reports of remaining 105 cases were pterygium. 2 cases of SCC were more than 50 and 1 case less than50 years old. Both carcinoma insitu cases were less than 50 (p=0246). All three cases of SCC were male, one case of carcinoma insitu was male and the other one was female(p=0.226). 11 cases (9.9%) were atrophic (grade I), 75 (67.6%) intermediate (grade II) and 25(22.5%) fleshy (grade III).In atrophic group no malignancy was reported, in intermediate group there was 1 SCC and 2 carcinoma insitu and in fleshy group 2 SCC and 1 ganglion cyst (P=0.228).

All excised pterygia must be studied for malignant transformations and coexistent malignancies.