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VISUDYNE® DOSING CALCULATOR
AND PREPARATION GUIDE

In order to calculate the appropriate volume mixture of VISUDYNE® for your patients, use the customized calculator below.

DOSING CALCULATOR

Patient’s body surface area (BSA)

Input your patient's information below to calculate

  1. Patient’s body weight
  2. Patient’s height

Patient is 00 lbs, 0 ft 0 inches

Body surface area(BSA) = 0.00 m2
Total drug dose(6 mg/m2 x BSA) = 00.0 mg
Volume of reconstituted VISUDYNE®(Total Drug Dose ÷ 2.0 mg/mL) = 0.00 mL
Volume of D5W(30 mL - Volume of Reconstituted VISUDYNE®) = 0.00 mL
Volume of drug waste(15mg - [total drug dose in mg, calculated from BSA]) = 0.00 mg
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How to calculate appropriate volume mixture

  • 6 mg/m2 × BSA = Total Drug Dose
  • Total Drug Dose ÷ 2.0 mg/mL = Volume of Reconstituted VISUDYNE®
  • 30 mL – Volume of Reconstituted VISUDYNE® = Volume of D5W

How drug waste is calculated

  • 15 mg - (Total Drug Dose in mg, calculated from BSA) = Drug Waste

Recommended VISUDYNE® Preparation Guide

  • Recommended Materials

    • 15-mg VISUDYNE®
    • Sterile Water for Injection
    • D5W 50 mL
    • 3 to 4 needles
    • 3 to 4 10- to 20-mL syringes
    • 30-mL syringe for infusion pump
    • 1.2-micron sterile filter
    • IV catheter/ infusion line

  • Step 1: Locate Vein

    Please be sure to have a strong, viable, open vein before reconstituting the VISUDYNE®.

  • Step 2: VISUDYNE® Drug Reconstitution

    1. A
      A. Withdraw 7 mL of sterile Water for Injection into a 10- to 20-mL syringe using a standard syringe needle.
    2. B
      B. Inject the sterile water into a 15-mg vial of VISUDYNE® powder.
    3. C
      C. Gently agitate the vial until fully reconstituted and set aside with needle still attached.*

    * Reconstituted VISUDYNE® must be protected from light and used within 4 hours. It is recommended that reconstituted VISUDYNE® be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration. Reconstituted VISUDYNE® is an opaque dark green solution.

    Important considerations

    • Prepare infusion according to standard practice, using a 1.2-micron sterile filter
    • Do not use normal saline or other parenteral solutions, except 5% Dextrose for Injection, for dilution of the reconstituted VISUDYNE®
    • Do not mix VISUDYNE® in the same solution with other drugs

  • Step 3: VISUDYNE® Dilution

    1. A
      A. Withdraw 5 mL D5W into 2 10-to 20-mL syringes. Set aside. One syringe should be used to check patency before infusion; the other to flush the line after.
    2. B
      B. Withdraw the calculated mL of D5W into a 30-mL syringe using a standard syringe needle.
    3. C
      C. Pull back the plunger to aspirate excess air to the 30-mL line, leaving space to add the VISUDYNE®.
    4. D
      D. Withdraw the appropriate mL of VISUDYNE® into the 10- to-20-mL syringe used to reconstitute the drug.
    5. E
      E. Remove the needle from the 30-mL syringe and add the VISUDYNE® through a standard syringe needle to the D5W. The total volume will now be 30 mL.

    End of Recommended VISUDYNE® Preparation Guide

PHYSICIAN FINDER

Indication

VISUDYNE® (verteporfin for injection) therapy is a photoenhancer indicated for the treatment of patients with predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to age-related macular degeneration, pathologic myopia or presumed ocular histoplasmosis. There is insufficient evidence to indicate VISUDYNE for the treatment of predominantly occult subfoveal CNV.

Important Safety Information

  • VISUDYNE® (verteporfin for injection) is contraindicated for patients with porphyria or known hypersensitivity to any component of this preparation.
  • Standard precautions should be taken during infusion of VISUDYNE to avoid extravasation, including but not limited to:
    • A free-flowing intravenous (IV) line should be established before starting VISUDYNE infusion and the line should be carefully monitored.
    • Due to the possibly fragility of vein walls of some elderly patients, it is strongly recommended that the largest arm vein possible, preferably the antecubital, be used for injection.
    • Small veins in the back of the hand should be avoided.
  • Extravasation of VISUDYNE, especially if the affected area is exposed to light, can cause severe pain, inflammation, swelling or discoloration at the injection site. Necrosis at the injection site following extravasation has been reported. If extravasation does occur, the infusion should be stopped immediately. The extravasation area must be thoroughly protected from direct light until swelling and discoloration have faded in order to prevent the occurrence of local burn, which could be severe. Cold compresses should be applied to the injection site. Oral medication for pain relief may be administered.
  • Following injection with VISUDYNE, care should be taken to avoid exposure of skin or eyes to direct sunlight or bright indoor light for 5 days. If emergency surgery is necessary within 48 hours after treatment, as much of the internal tissue as possible should be protected from intense light.
  • Patients who experience severe decrease of vision of 4 lines or more within 1 week after treatment should not be retreated, at least until their vision completely recovers to pretreatment levels and potential benefits and risks of subsequent treatment are carefully considered by the treating physician.
  • Cases of anaphylactic reactions have been reported. Immediately discontinue VISUDYNE and initiate appropriate therapy if anaphylactic or other serious allergic reactions occur during or following therapy.
  • The most frequently reported adverse events (occurring in approximately 10%-30% of patients) were injection site reactions (including pain, edema, inflammation, extravasation, rashes, hemorrhage, and discoloration), and visual disturbances (including blurred vision, flashes of light, decreased visual acuity, and visual field defects, including scotoma).

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Click here for full Prescribing Information for VISUDYNE®.

Indication and Important Safety Information

References: 1. VISUDYNE [package insert]. Bridgewater, NJ: Bausch & Lomb Incorporated.