Desegmentation of Ozurdex implant in vitreous cavity: report of two cases

Purpose To report two cases of desegmentation or fracture of the Ozurdex implant observed immediately after routine intravitreal implantation for macular oedema. Patients In two patients receiving intravitreal Ozurdex implant injection, a rare complication of fracture of implant was noted immediately after the injection. No additional complication was noted in either of the patients. On follow-up, the macular oedema had resolved and there were no further complications. Discussion We shared our experience with the manufacturer, and it was confirmed that, during the normal degradation process, the implant may become soft and break into pieces. Allergan shared their unpublished data on in vivo and in vitro drug release profile of one piece versus three pieces of implant, which is presented in this case report. Conclusions With more and more microsurgical implantation procedures, clinicians should be well aware of these unusual although rare complications. Even though the desegmented implants do not appear to cause more intraocular complications compared with single-piece implants, patients with defragmented implants should be followed up carefully to monitor for unexpected complications.