title: Bevacizumab (Avastin) as an adjunct to vitrectomy in the management of severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy: a prospective case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of preoperative intravitreal bevacizumab as an adjunct to vitrectomy in diabetic eye disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty eyes of 18 patients were recruited and underwent a single intravitreal injection of bevacizumab 1.25 mg 1 week prior to vitrectomy. Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) was done before and 1 week after injections. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and ophthalmic evaluation were done before, 1 week after injections, 1 day, 1 week and monthly for 3 months after vitrectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 47.7 ± 10.39 years. The male:female ratio was 2:3. Mean preinjection BCVA (logMAR) was 1.460 ± 0.439. FFA showed a dramatic reduction in dye leakage 1 week after injection. Intraoperative bleedings were minimal in most cases (85%, n = 17). Postoperatively, 16 patients had no bleeding (80%), 4 had minimal bleeding (20%), and 1 had recurrent fibrovascular proliferation (5%). The mean BCVA on day 1, week 1, months 2 and 3 after surgery were 1.645 ± 0.422, 1.300 ± 0.413, 1.065 ± 0.538 and 1.065 ± 0.538 logMAR, respectively (p = 0.078, 0.123, 0.002 and 0.002, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bevacizumab administered prior to vitrectomy was well tolerated and was particularly useful during surgery.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Kasr El Aini Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Mohamad Amr Salah Eddin
authors: MA
authors: Abdelhakim
authors: Tamer A
authors: TA
authors: Macky
authors: Khaled Abdel Galil
authors: KA
authors: Mansour
authors: Hassan Ali
authors: HA
authors: Mortada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab