Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of primary intravitreal bevacizumab injection in stage 3 retinopathy of prematurity with plus signs.
Methods
We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of 30 eyes of 16 patients diagnosed with stage 3 retinopathy of pre-maturity with plus signs treated with primary intravitreal bevacizumab injection between March 1, 2011 and February 28, 2013 and followed up for at least 9 months.
Results
Mean gestational age was 26 + 4 weeks ± 11 days and mean birth weight was 822 ± 251.4 g. The locations of disease were zone II in 24 eyes and zone III in 6 eyes. Intravitreal bevacizumab injection was performed after the mean 1.3 ± 1 day after plus signs were detected. Mean postconceptional age at treatment was 38 + 2 weeks ± 16 days. Mean follow-up period was 16.6 ± 6.9 months. Plus signs started to regress after the mean 4.6 ± 2.3 days after injection and completely regressed after the mean 24.3 ± 12.4 days. Cataract extraction was performed in 1 eye due to a cataract that appeared not associated with the injection procedure, but was regarded as a treatment failure. There were no local or systemic complications.
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![]() | Figure 1.Case 15. Fundus photographs taken just before operation (A, B, C) and one month after intravitreal bevacizumab injection (D, E, F). (A, B, C) Zone II, stage III retinopathy of prematurity with plus signs. (D, E, F) Regressed plus signs with decreased vascular tortuousness and disappeared retinal neovascularization and hemorrhage are noted. Further vascularization in zone II is also noted. |
Table 1.
Characteristics of study population (30 eyes of 16 patients)
Table 2.
Characteristics of individual eye treated with primary intravitreal bevacizumab injection for stage 3 + retinopathy of pre-maturity