AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of sliding transplantation of auto-corneal limbus stem cell combined with mitomycin C(MMC)on pterygium treatment.

METHODS: Totally, 79 patients(89 eyes)who received treatment at our hospital were selected. Eighty-nine eyes of 79 patients with pterygium were randomly divided into two groups: 40 patients(45 eyes)in group A underwent sliding limbal autograft transplantation with MMC and 39 patients(44 eyes)in group B underwent simple limbal autograft transplantation. Recurrence rate and complications were observed during the 12-month follow-up.

RESULTS: One of 45 eyes(2%)of group A and six of 44 eyes(14%)in group B were recurrent with significant difference(P<0.05). One eye with corneal epithelium damage was observed in group A, it was healed with treatment after 5 days. Photaesthesia, lachrymation and pain were relevantly severe in 4 eyes, and 3 eyes displayed delayed union in conjunctival wounds(12-15 days). In B group, 3 eyes slight edema of grafts, 1 eye was growth of a wound granulation, and 1 eye was relevantly severe in photaesthesia, lachrymation and pain. Complications compared two groups had no significant difference(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Sliding transplantation of auto-corneal limbus stem cell combined with MMC for pterygium had advantages of lower recurrence rate, rapid recovery and less complications.