Surgical Nomenclature and Terminology
The procedure is universally referred to as pterygium excision in the medical literature and clinical practice. 1, 2, 3 This straightforward term describes the surgical removal of the fibrovascular growth that extends from the conjunctiva onto the cornea.
Common Surgical Variations
While the basic procedure is termed pterygium excision, several modified techniques exist that incorporate additional descriptive terms:
Pterygium excision with conjunctival autograft - the most common modern approach where healthy conjunctival tissue is transplanted to cover the excision site 4, 5
Pterygium excision with bare sclera technique - an older method where the sclera is left exposed after removal 6
PHEMICA (Pterygium Head Excision and Mini Inferior Conjunctival Autograft) - a tissue-sparing modification that specifically describes removal of the pterygium head with a small inferior conjunctival graft 5
Pterygium excision with amniotic membrane transplantation - uses amniotic membrane instead of conjunctival tissue for reconstruction 6
Important Clinical Context
The American Academy of Ophthalmology emphasizes that comprehensive pterygium surgery aims not only at removing the lesion but also preventing recurrence, which is why the procedure name often includes the adjunctive reconstruction technique used. 2, 3 The term "pterygium excision" may be followed by descriptors indicating whether mitomycin-C or other adjunctive therapies were employed to reduce recurrence risk. 1, 3