TY - JOUR T1 - Sustained release intravitreal ganciclovir implant as salvage treatment in AIDS related cytomegalovirus retinitis JF - British Journal of Ophthalmology JO - Br J Ophthalmol SP - 332 LP - 332 DO - 10.1136/bjo.82.3.332b VL - 82 IS - 3 AU - A KAMAL AU - G SYLVESTRI AU - B DHILLON AU - A KING Y1 - 1998/03/01 UR - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/82/3/332.3.abstract N2 - Editor,—Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis affects 12%–46%1-3 of individuals with AIDS and is frequently bilateral. The current management of CMV retinitis includes systemic anti-CMV therapy, local intravitreal injections of ganciclovir or foscarnet, and, more recently, intravitreal sustained release ganciclovir implant (Vitrasert) (Fig 1). High dose intravenous ganciclovir or foscarnet is effective in suppressing viral replication in the short term but breakthrough infection is common during the maintenance phase with up to 50% of patients experiencing recurrent disease.4-6 Implantation can be done as primary therapy at the time of CMV retinitis diagnosis or as salvage therapy once the conventional treatment has failed. We describe our experience … ER -