Abstract
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is the most common infection of the eye in patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. In addition to the two standard modes of treatment-intravenous ganciclovir and intravenous foscarnet - a new method of drug delivery to the eye has been developed and extensively tested. The intravitreal ganciclovir implant (Vitrasert) consists of a pellet of ganciclovir coated with inert polymers designed to control the release of the drug into the eye. The ganciclovir implant has been shown to significantly extend the time to progression of CMV retinitis and is associated with a low rate of complications. This article outlines the design, release characteristics, and complications associated with the ganciclovir implant and reviews the results of recently completed clinical trials. Recommendations for surgical implantation and future directions for research are also discussed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 35-44 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Ophthalmology Clinics of North America |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1997 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology