Trabeculectomy with 5-fluorouracil for adult inflammatory glaucoma

We reviewed the records of 12 eyes of ten adult patients with inflammatory glaucoma who underwent trabeculectomy with the adjuvant use of 5-fluorouracil between January 1986 and January 1989. Intraocular pressure decreased from 36 +/- 10 mm Hg (range, 17 to 50 mm Hg) preoperatively to 11 +/- 4 mm Hg (range, 3 to 17 mm Hg) postoperatively after a median follow-up of 7.75 months (range, six to 38 months). All eyes achieved an intraocular pressure of less than 20 mm Hg, and ten of 12 required no intraocular pressure lowering medications. The mean (+/- S.D.) amount of 5-fluorouracil used was 33 +/- 10 mg (range, 20 to 55 mg). During the period of observation, five of 12 eyes had an episode of uveitis, but in no patient did this result in loss of intraocular pressure control. Preoperative and postoperative systemic and topical corticosteroid use was the same. Trabeculectomy with 5-fluorouracil is an effective treatment for selected cases of adult inflammatory glaucoma refractory to medical management.