Rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm after intravitreal bevacizumab injection: a case report

We describe the case of a man who died of an abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture after an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

A 74-year-old Korean man presented with visual disturbance in his right eye. He had previously been diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension, which were controlled with oral medications. We diagnosed him with neovascular age-related macular degeneration and he was treated by monthly intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for three months. Four days after his third intravitreal bevacizumab injection, he died of an abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture and uncontrolled bleeding.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture is highly lethal and there is a possible correlation with intravitreal injection of bevacizumab. Thus, we need to consider the risks of intravitreal bevacizumab injections for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms.