Risk Management

Closed Claim Review

Our most recent closed claim study, published in the 2018 Vol. 2 OMIC Digest:

Endophthalmitis outbreak following intravitreal injections

On 1/26/16 and 1/27/16, a non-OMIC ophthalmologist at an OMIC-insured practice injected 8 patients, aged 64 to 94, with Avastin or Eylea to treat neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The patients’ visual acuities in the eyes to be injected ranged from 20/25 to 20/150. The ophthalmologist added dexamethasone to the anti-VEGF medication. The dexamethasone was withdrawn from the same single-dose vial for all 8 patients. The ophthalmologist used the needle included with the Eylea kit to puncture the dexamethasone vial after puncturing the Eylea vial. The prepackaged Avastin needle was used to puncture the dexamethasone vial and then was used again to inject the patients. Betadine and Navobay Hypochlorous solution was used to prep for the treatment. Following the injections, the ophthalmologist pressed on each of the treated eyes with his bare finger to check the pressure. Each patient returned within 2 to 3 days complaining of decreased vision and pain and was diagnosed with endophthalmitis. Despite treatment, each patient lost visual acuity. The visual acuities post-injection ranged from 20/200 to hand motion… (Analysis and Risk Management Principles)

Other case studies of retina claims can be found in the Retina Resources section.