Short-term complications of intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the short-term complications associated with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) injection in the treatment of posterior segment disorders.


METHODS
The medical records of 784 patients (929 consecutive eyes) were retrospectively reviewed at a single institution. One or more IVTA injections for treatment of a variety of steroid-responsive posterior segment disorders (predominantly diabetic macular edema, choroidal neovascularization, and retinal venous occlusions) were administered. Adverse events occurring within 3 months of the initial injection were identified.


RESULTS
The most common adverse event occurring within 3 months after the initial injection was steroid-related ocular hypertension, with intraocular pressure spikes of >21 mm Hg in 21% of eyes and >25 mm Hg in 11% of eyes. Ocular inflammation occurred in six eyes (0.6%): four eyes with sterile hypopyon and two eyes without hypopyon. Three eyes (0.3%) had corneal epithelial defects thought to be related to pretreatment with povidone-iodine solution. No eyes had culture-positive infectious endophthalmitis. Cataract progression was not assessed in this analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
IVTA injection for the treatment of steroid-responsive disorders of the posterior segment, when administered under sterile conditions, is associated with a low incidence of serious vision-threatening adverse events within the first 3 months after injection.
Roth
Daniel B
DB
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. rothretina@gmail.com
Realini
Tony
T
Feuer
William J
WJ
Radhakrishnan
Ravi
R
Gloth
Jonathan
J
Heimmel
Mark R
MR
Fechtner
Robert D
RD
Yarian
David L
DL
Green
Stuart N
SN
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014822:Vitreous Body
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide