OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical features and risk factors for hemorrhagic complications in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) after intravitreal ranibizumab injection. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS: The charts of 54 patients with PCV who had received intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg. METHODS: The study was conducted as a retrospective chart review of 54 patients with PCV who had received intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg. Analysis of 2 groups was based on mean PCV lesion size: < 15mm(2) (n = 24); or ≥ 15mm(2) (n = 32). The occurrence of fresh postoperative subretinal hemorrhage, best corrected visual acuity, systemic disease, and medication history were documented and analyzed. RESULTS: The mean injection number was 3.3 ± 0.7 (range, 1 to 6), with a mean follow-up of 7.4 ± 2.8 months (range, 4 to 14 months). During the follow-up period, postoperative subretinal hemorrhage was observed in 5 (8.9%) of 56 eyes. Occurrence of postoperative hemorrhage was significantly increased in the group with large PCV size (p = 0.01). Pars plana vitrectomy was performed for postoperative bleeding that resulted in vitreous hemorrhage in 1 eye (1.8%). Various systemic diseases and medication with an anticoagulant had no correlation with occurrence of hemorrhagic complications. CONCLUSIONS: Subretinal hemorrhage after ranibizumab injection can occur in patients with PCV. When considering ranibizumab injection for treatment of a large PCV lesion, the risk for hemorrhagic complications should be considered.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical features and risk factors for hemorrhagic complications in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) after intravitreal ranibizumab injection. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS: The charts of 54 patients with PCV who had received intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg. METHODS: The study was conducted as a retrospective chart review of 54 patients with PCV who had received intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg. Analysis of 2 groups was based on mean PCV lesion size: < 15mm(2) (n = 24); or ≥ 15mm(2) (n = 32). The occurrence of fresh postoperative subretinal hemorrhage, best corrected visual acuity, systemic disease, and medication history were documented and analyzed. RESULTS: The mean injection number was 3.3 ± 0.7 (range, 1 to 6), with a mean follow-up of 7.4 ± 2.8 months (range, 4 to 14 months). During the follow-up period, postoperative subretinal hemorrhage was observed in 5 (8.9%) of 56 eyes. Occurrence of postoperative hemorrhage was significantly increased in the group with large PCV size (p = 0.01). Pars plana vitrectomy was performed for postoperative bleeding that resulted in vitreous hemorrhage in 1 eye (1.8%). Various systemic diseases and medication with an anticoagulant had no correlation with occurrence of hemorrhagic complications. CONCLUSIONS:Subretinal hemorrhage after ranibizumab injection can occur in patients with PCV. When considering ranibizumab injection for treatment of a large PCV lesion, the risk for hemorrhagic complications should be considered.