Costs and benefits of bevacizumab vial sharing for the treatment of retinal diseases.

BACKGROUND: Antiangiogenic therapy has proved to be an important therapeutic tool for many retinal vascular diseases; however, its availability is limited in developing countries. This study sought to describe the bevacizumab vial sharing process and to evaluate the impact of this repackaging system on the costs incurred in a Brazilian public hospital. METHOD: This retrospective study compared the number and costs of intravitreal antiangiogenic injections approved via court order in the first year of the study (2015) to the number and costs of the bevacizumab injections provided through the use of vial sharing in the second year of the study (2016). Vial sharing consists of the traditional process used to repackage bevacizumab; in this case, however, the drug samples used were the residual volume from the preparation of bevacizumab for oncology patients. The hospital adhered to the guidelines established by the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). RESULTS: In the first year of the study and using medication obtained through court orders, 550 intravitreal injections were performed in the ophthalmology ambulatory care center. Based on local pricing tables, the total cost of the medication was BRL$1,036,056.25 (USD$267,546.58), and the average cost of each application was BRL$1883.74 (USD$486.45). In the second year of the study, 1081 intravitreal applications were performed at the same hospital using doses obtained through bevacizumab vial sharing. The total cost was BRL$21,942.49 (USD$5663.30) and the per-unit cost was BRL$20.30, or USD$5.23 (a savings of 97.88%). CONCLUSION: This study found that bevacizumab vial sharing led to a significant reduction in public health care costs associated with antiangiogenic treatment and increased the availability of the drug to public health care patients. These results can be extrapolated to other types of drugs and health care systems.

"Transorbitario" foreign body after ATV accident / Corpo estranho "transorbitário" após acidente com quadriciclo

Abstract This report aims to show an unusual case of "transorbitário" wooden foreign body causing visual loss due to optic nerve damage on the side contralateral penetration of foreign matter.

Resumo O presente relato tem o objetivo de mostrar um caso incomum de corpo estranho de madeira "transorbitário" que causou perda visual por lesão do nervo óptico do lado contralateral a penetração do corpo estranho.

Trauma ocular na Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu / Ocular trauma at the Botucatu medical school

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar os traumas oculares graves atendidos em um hospital universitário e que demandaram internação. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo envolvendo 303 portadores de trauma ocular grave atendidos no Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu - UNESP, entre Janeiro de 1998 até Dezembro de 2008 e que necessitaram internação. Foram avaliadas as variáveis demográficas, as causas dos acidentes, os fatores envolvidos, a acuidade visual inicial e final, assim como os procedimentos realizados. Os dados foram submetidos à análise estatística. Resultados: No período ocorreram 307 traumas oculares graves que foram internados e operados, com maior frequência entre 26 e 40 anos de idade (26%) e do sexo masculino (82%). A maioria dos casos entre os adultos decorreu de acidentes de trabalho ou de trânsito e em crianças, em ambiente de lazer ou doméstico. A córnea foi o local mais afetado (75%) e a zona I foi a mais atingida (82%). O trauma perfurante foi o mais frequente e o agente causal principal foi o vidro (18%), acometendo principalmente os lavradores (41%). A grande maioria dos portadores de trauma ocular atendidos não usava equipamentos de segurança. Após a cirurgia, a AV se manteve abaixo de 0,1 em 48% dos acometidos. O tempo entre o trauma e o tratamento influenciou o prognóstico visual. Conclusão: O trauma ocular grave permanece como uma importante causa de morbidade e cegueira monocular prevenível. O tratamento cirúrgico bem conduzido pode minimizar o prejuízo para a função visual, devendo ser reforçada a necessidade de medidas de prevenção.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate serious eye trauma requiring admission for treatment at a university hospital. Methods: This was a retrospective study involving 303 patients with severe ocular trauma who required hospitalization at the Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Botucatu - Unesp, from January 1998 to December 2008. Demographic data were evaluated and also the causes of accidents, factors involved, initial and final visual acuity (VA) as well as the procedures performed. Data were statistically analyzed. Results: Three hundred and seven severe eye traumas were admitted for surgery, most commonly affecting subjects between the ages of 26 and 40 (26%) who were male (82%). The trauma affecting adults occurred due to work or traffic accidents and in children, during leisure time or in the domestic environment. The cornea (75%) and area I (82%) was the most affected place. A penetrating trauma was most frequent, and the main causal agent was glass (18%), mainly affecting farmers (41%). The majority of the affected patients were not wearing protective equipment at the time of the ocular trauma. After surgery, the AV remained below 0.1 in 48% of affected individuals. The time between trauma and treatment influenced the visual prognosis. Conclusion: Severe eye trauma remains an important cause of morbidity and preventable monocular blindness. Although the severity of the ocular traumas, surgical treatment that is well conducted can minimize the damage to visual function and should reinforce the need for preventive measures.