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

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