Management of Chronic Hypotony Following Bilateral Uveitis in a Patient Treated with Pembrolizumab for Cutaneous Metastatic Melanoma

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To describe the presentation and management of severe ocular adverse events following treatment with pembrolizumab for cutaneous metastatic melanoma.

Methods: Interventional case report.

Results: A 73-year-old Caucasian man receiving pembrolizumab treatment for metastatic melanoma presented with panuveitis and subsequent profound hypotony, choroidal effusions, and optic disk swelling bilaterally. Oral prednisolone controlled intraocular inflammation. However, bilateral hypotony persisted which was managed over a 12-month period with ocular viscoelastic device injections into the anterior chamber of both eyes. There was also phacoemulsification with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and silicone oil (SO) tamponade performed on the left eye only. Intraocular pressure (IOP) stabilized (>6 mmHg) with best-corrected visual acuity of 6/60.

Conclusion: We report a severe adverse event from pembrolizumab therapy resulting in uveitis and persistent hypotony. Repeat injections of high viscosity OVD achieved an increase in IOP up to 12 months. This technique may be a useful adjuvant or alternative to PPV and SO.

Keywords:

• Adverse events
• hypotony
• management
• Pembrolizumab
• uveitis

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.