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Similar time to uveitis recurrence after second implantation of fluocinolone acetonide implant
Retina. 2008; 28(9):1280-1288.
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Patients with chronic noninfectious posterior uveitis implanted a second time with a fluocinolone acetonide implant had similar improvements in inflammation and similar rates of complications compared with the first time they were implanted with the device.
The Retisert (Bausch & Lomb) implant, designed to deliver a sustained release of the synthetic corticosteroid fluocinolone acetonide over about 3 years, has been shown in other trials to effectively stabilize vision in patients with uveitis while concomitantly reducing recurrence of the disease. However, no studies to date have examined the insert's usefulness in reimplantation to treat the chronic disease long term.
In the study, the fluocinolone acetonide implant was reimplanted in 10 eyes that had a recurrence of uveitis a mean 32.5 months after the first implantation. During the follow-up period, four eyes had a second recurrence at a median 18.3 months.
"Kaplan-Meier analysis of time to recurrence reveals even a longer time to recurrence following the second implant of approximately 25 months to 30 months," the study said.
Visual acuity was stable or improved in all patients after the second implant during the follow-up period (median = 16.8 months) compared with vision after the first implantation. In addition, visual acuity after the second implantation was stable or improved in 70% of patients after the second implantation compared with vision before the first implantation.