title: Effect of 5-Fluorouracil on corneoscleral wound healing.
abstract: 5-Fluorouracil has been advocated as an adjunct to filtration in combined extracapsular cataract extraction, intraocular lens implantation, and trabeculectomy; however, it may exert an undesirable inhibitory effect on cataract wound healing. Accordingly, the effect of 5-fluorouracil on corneoscleral wound healing was evaluated in an animal model. During the first 2 weeks following creation of full-thickness corneoscleral wounds, 40 rabbits were randomly assigned to receive either 10 subconjunctival injections of 5 mg 5-fluorouracil or normal saline. After sacrifice, 2, 4, 8, or 16 weeks postoperatively, the tensile strength of a 5-mm wound segment from each rabbit was measured with a tensiometer; histologic analysis was performed on untested portions of the wounds. 5-Fluorouracil was found to produce a trend toward decreased wound strength; however, this effect diminished over time. Histologic analysis was consistent with early inhibition of healing with resumption of healing following discontinuation of the drug. We conclude that 5-fluorouracil delays healing and development of tensile strength in rabbit corneoscleral wounds.
authors.affiliation: Doheny Eye Institute and the Department of Ophthalmology. University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Fellenbaum
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baerveldt
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Minckler
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Heuer