SURVEY OF COMPLICATIONS OF INDOCYANINE GREEN ANGIOGRAPHY IN JAPAN

PURPOSE: We evaluated the safety of indocyanine green for use in fundu s angiography. METHODS: We sent a questionnaire concerning complicatio ns of indocyanine green to 32 institutions in Japan, which were select ed on the basis of the client list from the Topcon Company, which manu factures the indocyanine green fundus camera. RESULTS: Ophthalmologist s at 15 institutions responded, reporting a total of 3,774 indocyanine green angiograms performed on 2,820 patients between June 1984 and Se ptember 1992. Before angiography, intradermal or intravenous indocyani ne green testing, or both was performed at 13 of 15 institutions. For three patients, the decision was made not to proceed with angiography after positive preangiographic testing. The dosage of indocyanine gree n used for angiography varied from 25 to 75 mg, depending upon the ins titution. There were 13 cases of adverse reactions (0.34%), ten of whi ch were mild reactions such as nausea, exanthema, urtication, itchines s, iind urgency to defecate, and did not require treatment. Also recor ded were one case of pain of the vein, which required treatment, and t wo cases of hypotension. The two hypotensive patients required treatme nt for shock. CONCLUSIONS: A comparison of frequency of adverse reacti ons to indocyanine green with the previously reported frequency of suc h reactions to fluorescein sodium indicated that indocyanine green is as safe as fluorescein for use in angiography.