Delayed onset atypical vitreoretinal traction band formation after an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab in stage 3 retinopathy of prematurity

Abstract

To report a series of patients who presented with an atypical retinal traction band, which was developed after an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for stage 3 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). We retrospectively reviewed the medical record of three patients (five eyes) who had been referred to a tertiary care centre for the management of fibrous retinal traction band, which occurred after a bevacizumab injection for stage 3 ROP with plus disease. Clinical features and courses of these eyes were described based on the medical record and RetCam fundus photography. All three patients had taken an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab with or without concomitant laser photocoagulation as an initial treatment option for the active stage 3 ROP. With close follow-ups, regression of extraretinal fibrovascular proliferation and plus disease was noted invariably. After the regression of ROP, atypical fibrous traction membrane had arisen along the major vascular arcades with 2.5 to 4 months of latency, which progressed into tractional retinal detachment (TRD) in three out of five eyes. In active stage 3 ROP, fibrous tractional membrane and subsequent TRD along the major vascular arcades were developed unpredictably after the regression of neovascular activity following bevacizumab injection as an initial treatment. Therefore, ROP patients who received bevacizumab treatment without previous retinal photocoagulation should be closely followed for more than 4 months after the treatments even if the disease seems to have regressed.