The Inhibitory Effects of 5-fluorouracil on Experimental Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy

ABSTRACT

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is the main cause of failure in retinal reattachment surgery, Vitrectomy combined with pharmacologic therapy to inhibit proliferating and contracting epiretinal membranes appears to be a promismg approach in the management of PVR. We investigated the inhibitory effect of intravitreal 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on experimental PVE induced by intravitreal injection of homologous dermal fibroblast in pigmented rabbits. At 6 weeks after intravitreal injection, Goup I (fibroblast only), Group II (early treatment with 1mg of 5-FU), and Group Ill (delayed treatment with 1mg of 5-FU) developed the retinal detachment in 85.7%, 33.3%, and 58.3% respectively. The rate of retinal detachment was lower in treatment groups than in non-treatment group, but there was a statistically significant difference only between non-treatment group (Group I) and early-treatment group (Group II) (p<0.05). In the group that only 5-FU was injected (Group IV), the retinas were preserved in normal clinically and pathologically. These results show that 5-FU may exert a significant anti proliferative effect on intraocular proliferative disorders including PVR especially if the drug is administered more earlier.