Abstract
Background
To evaluate the effects and side-effects of serial sub-conjunctival injections of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in early postoperative period for recurrent anophthalmic contracted socket.
Methods
Retrospective comparative case series at tertiary eye care centre including fifteen adult patients with features of postoperative recurrent socket contraction after buccal mucosal graft. Group A comprised eight patients treated with 10 mg weekly sub-conjunctival injection of 5–FU in the fornices. Group B comprised seven patients taken as control. Main outcome measures were: superior fornix depth (SFD), inferior fornix depth (IFD), and socket volume (SV) at 6 months follow up. Patients were re-evaluated clinically for recurrence at last follow-up.
Results
The mean ± SD values in group A versus group B were as follows: 10 ± 1.6 mm vs 5.1 ± 0.9 mm (p < 0.005) for SFD, 6.7 ± 1.5 mm vs 3.5 ± 0.5 mm (p = 0.02) for IFD; and 2 ± 0.55 ml versus 0.27 ± 0.06 ml (p = 0.005) for SV at 6 months. There was significant improvement in depth of fornices and volume of socket in seven patients in group A. One patient in group A did not benefit from 5-FU treatment. The beneficial effects of 5-FU were observed when first injection was given within 4 weeks after socket reconstruction. There was no recurrence (in six cases) and no side-effects seen in group A at final follow-up of 18.2 (12–24) months.
Conclusions
Weekly injections of 5-FU are effective for stopping the progression of recurrent contracted socket following primary reconstructive surgery. It provides early rehabilitation, and avoids repetitive surgery.
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Presented in part as poster at British Oculoplasty Surgery Society annual meeting, 2012, Leicester, United Kingdom
The authors have full control of all primary data, and they agree to allow Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology to review their data upon request.
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Kamal, S., Kumar, S., Goel, R. et al. Serial sub-conjunctival 5-Fluorouracil for early recurrent anophthalmic contracted socket. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 251, 2797–2802 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-013-2478-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-013-2478-1