Ganciclovir intravitreal implant with

The success of intravitreal implants, such as achieved with ganciclovir, has renewed interest in developing an intravitreal corticosteroid implant to further enhance the intravitreal route of administration, thus reducing the need for multiple injections. Bausch and Lomb and Control Delivery Systems have developed an intravitreal implant that can deliver the corticosteroid fluocinolone acetonide (Retrisert) to posterior eye tissue for up to 3 years. The implant, which was approved in 2005 by the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration (FDA), delivers 0.59 or 2.1 mg of fluocinolone acetonide. The long-term ocular side effects of this device are unknown at this time. 

An intravitreal implant device (Vitrasert, Bausch Lomb Surgical, San Dimas, CA, USA) consists of a 6-mg pellet of ganciclovir compressed into a 2.5-mm disk, coated with polyvinyl alcohol on all sides, and then coated with ethylvinyl alcohol on all sides except the top. It releases ganciclovir at a constant rate into the vitreous cavity after implantation through the pars plana under local anesthesia. Perhaps the greatest benefit of intravitreal... 

Duker JS, Robinson M, Anand R, Ashton P. Initial experience with an eight month sustained-release intravitreal ganciclovir implant for the treatment of CMV retinitis associated with AIDS. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers 1995 26 442-448. 

Martin D, Kupperman B, Wolitz R, Palestine C, Robinson C. Combined oral ganciclovir and intravitreal ganciclovir implant for treatment of patients with cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis a randomized controlled study. In 37th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1997. Abstract LB-9. 

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