Safety of submacular suprachoroidal drug administration via a microcatheter: retrospective analysis of European treatment results.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To investigate the safety and feasibility of using a microcatheter for drug delivery in the suprachoroidal space in eyes with advanced, exudative, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) unresponsive to conventional therapy.

PROCEDURES:

A unique microcatheter was used to deliver a drug combination consisting of bevacizumab and triamcinolone to the submacular suprachoroidal space. Twenty-one eyes of 21 patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to advanced, exudative AMD were followed over a 6-month postprocedure period.

RESULTS:

The microcatheter was successfully and atraumatically inserted into the suprachoroidal space of all eyes. No serious intraoperative or postoperative complications including suprachoroidal hemorrhages were encountered. Postsurgically, complications consisted of 1 eye experiencing a transient elevation in intraocular pressure at 3 months, which was medically controlled, and 2 eyes (10.5%) with an apparent increase in nuclear sclerotic cataracts.

CONCLUSIONS:

Suprachoroidal drug administration was achieved without serious complication using a novel microcatheter. Direct drug delivery to the choroid can potentially increase local tissue drug levels and drug efficacy for the treatment of AMD and other diseases associated with CNV.

• Authors: Manfred Tetz, Stanislao Rizzo, Albert J Augustin
• Journal: Ophthalmologica. Journal international d'ophtalmologie. International journal of ophthalmology. Zeitschrift fur Augenheilkunde (Ophthalmologica) Vol. 227 Issue 4 Pg. 183-9 ( 2012) ISSN: 1423-0267 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 22354263 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Angiogenesis Inhibitors
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Glucocorticoids
• Bevacizumab
• Triamcinolone Acetonide

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Angiogenesis Inhibitors (administration & dosage)
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized (administration & dosage)
• Bevacizumab
• Catheters, Indwelling
• Choroid
• Drug Delivery Systems (adverse effects, instrumentation)
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Female
• Fluorescein Angiography
• Glucocorticoids (administration & dosage)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prognosis
• Retrospective Studies
• Tomography, Optical Coherence
• Triamcinolone Acetonide (administration & dosage)
• Visual Acuity (physiology)
• Wet Macular Degeneration (diagnosis, drug therapy, physiopathology)