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Intravitreal autologous plasmin prepared by urokinase for vitreolysis: a pilot study
Alireza Maleki1, Seyed-Reza Tohidi-Zand1, Naser Amirizadeh2
1Al-Zahra Eye Hospital, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan - Iran.
Purpose:
To evaluate the effects of intravitreal autologous plasmin injection (IVAP) on vitreoretinal diseases and vitreolysis.
Methods:
In this interventional, prospective, case series pilot study, 8 eyes were assigned to IVAP. Plasminogen as centrifuged from the patients' plasma was converted to plasmin by adding urokinase. A total of 0.2 mL extracted plasmin was injected intravitreally. Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) and potential injection-related complications at week 4 were the primary outcome measures. Secondary outcomes included changes in best-corrected visual acuity (VA) (logMAR) and central macular thickness (CMT).
Results:
Mean age of the patients was 54.35 years. Two patients had complete PVD and 3 patients had partial PVD. Four patients had decrease in CMT. The VA was not changed in 6 patients, improved in 1 patient, and decreased in 1 patient. No uveitis, endophthalmitis, or postinjection vitreous hemorrhage was observed.
Conclusions:
This pilot study demonstrated the efficacy of urokinase-prepared IVAP injection on releasing vitreomacular traction and inducing vitreolysis.
