Role of debridement and trifluridine (trifluorothymidine) in herpes simplex dendritic keratitis

C. J. Parlato, E. J. Cohen, C. M. Sakauye, N. G. Dreizen, P. G. Galentine and P. R. Laibson

Thirty-four patients with herpes simplex dendritic keratitis were randomized into three treatment categories: Group A had debridement alone; group B, trifluridine (trifluorothymidine) alone; and group C, debridement and trifluridine. Patients treated with debridement alone had a statistically higher failure rate than did the other two groups. No statistically significant difference was observed between trifluridine treatment alone and debridement combined with trifluridine treatment, with regard to healing time. Our results suggest that debridement alone is suboptimal therapy for herpes simplex dendritic keratitis and that debridement combined with trifluridine appears to offer no advantage over trifluridine alone.