2M.D. Asistant, Sakarya Training and Research Hospital, Eye Clinic, Sakarya/TURKEY
3M.D. Professor, Sakarya Training and Research Hospital, Eye Clinic, Sakarya/TURKEY Purpose: To evaluate the ocular and systemic complications of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection for diabetic macular edema (DME).
Materials and Methods: Between June 2012-May 2014, 610 IVB injections for DME of 163 patients were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were excluded if they had a history of a cerebrovascular or cardiovascular event in the 6 months before enrollment. Bevacizumab 1.25 mg/0.05 ml (Altuzan®) was used for injection. All patients were examined at 1st day, 1st week, 1st month and every 4 weeks after IVB application.
Results: Mean age, of 72 female and 91 male patients, was 63.7±11.3 years. Mean follow-up time was 9.4 (4-24) months. Endophthalmitis in 1 eye (0.61%), hyphema in 1 eye (0.61%), trauma to the clear lens (0.61%), spontaneously resolved vitreous hemorrhage in 1 eye (0.61%), temporary intraocular pressure increase controlled by topical medication in 5 eyes (3.06%), punctate corneal epitelyopathy in 11 eyes (6.74%), mild inflammation in anterior chamber in 8 eyes (4.90%) and subconjunctival hemorrhage in 21 eyes (12.88%) in 21 eyes were noted as ocular complications. Cerebrovascular ischemic attack in 1 patient (0.61%) and increased systemic blood pressure in 1 patient (0.61%) were observed as systemic complications.
Conclusion: IVB injections are technically simple operations and frequently used in daily practice. However, it should be kept in mind intravitreal injections may cause very serious complications.
Keywords : Diabetic macular edema, intravitreal bevacizumab, complications