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Halting pterygium recurrence by postoperative 5-fluorouracil
1Department of Ophthalmology, Hillel-Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, Israel.
Cornea
|March 15, 2001
Summary
Postoperative 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) injections may halt early pterygium recurrence by causing tissue atrophy. This pilot study suggests a potential treatment for recurrent pterygium, requiring further randomized trials for confirmation.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Ophthalmic Surgery
Background:
- Pterygium recurrence after excision remains a clinical challenge.
- The "bare sclera" technique is a common surgical approach for pterygium excision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of postoperative 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) injections in preventing pterygium recurrence.
- To assess the safety and effectiveness of 5-FU for early recurrent pterygium.
Main Methods:
- A pilot study involving six eyes with early pterygium recurrence (overriding cornea ≤1.5 mm).
- Treatment consisted of 2-4 intralesional injections of 5-FU (mean dose 2.1 mg) into the fibrovascular tissue.
- Follow-up included clinical assessment and monitoring for recurrence over 12 months.
Main Results:
- Five of six treated eyes showed clinical atrophy of the recurrent pterygium, halting progression.
- No recurrence was observed in treated eyes after a minimum of 12 months of follow-up.
- No significant complications were associated with 5-FU treatment.
Conclusions:
- Intralesional 5-FU injections appear beneficial in halting early pterygium recurrence by inducing atrophy.
- This approach may offer a new therapeutic option for managing recurrent pterygium.
- Further investigation through prospective, randomized controlled trials is necessary to validate these findings.