Subconjunctival injection of 5-fluorouracil following trabeculectomy for congenital and infantile glaucoma.

Trabeculectomy and subsequent subconjunctival injections of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were performed in four eyes (two children) with congenital glaucoma. Each of these eyes had previously undergone either goniotomy, trabeculotomy, or both; these procedures, however, had failed to control intraocular pressure (IOP) and progressive optic nerve damage. Sixteen and a half months (+/- 1.5 months) after the trabeculectomy and 5-FU treatments, the IOP in these eyes was in the low teens and there was no evidence of further optic-nerve or visual-field deterioration. Although trabeculectomy has been shown to be unsuccessful in managing congenital glaucoma, when it is done with the adjunct of subconjunctival injections of 5-FU, it may be advisable in these cases after previous surgery has failed.