Vision Loss after Intravitreal Injection of Autologous "Stem Cells" for AMD.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Case series of three patients
PubMed 28296617 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1609583
What was done
Evaluation of three patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who developed severe bilateral visual loss following bilateral intravitreal injections of autologous adipose tissue-derived "stem cells" at a commercial clinic in the United States, with follow-up at 1 year.
What was found
Before injection, the last documented visual acuity on the Snellen eye chart ranged from 20/30 to 20/200. Severe visual loss following injection was accompanied by ocular hypertension, hemorrhagic retinopathy, vitreous hemorrhage, combined traction and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, or lens dislocation. At 1-year follow-up, visual acuity ranged from 20/200 to no light perception.
Why it matters
This report provides direct clinical documentation of catastrophic and irreversible ocular complications caused by unproven intravitreal autologous stem-cell injections.
Limits
Extremely small sample size (n=3), retrospective case series design without controls, and lack of detailed data in the abstract on the exact cellular composition or preparation methods used.
Cited by
- supports Patients at an unapproved stem cell clinic developed blindness after receiving stem cell injections into their eyes for macular degeneration.