Clinical Observation on Postoperative Endophthalmitis Following Cataract Surgery

ABSTRACT

Postoperative endophthalmitis following cataract surgery is rare but may influence the final visual outcome markedly. The authors reviewed the clinical records of 16 patients who had been treated with the diagnosis of endophthalmitis after cataract surgeries from March. 1992. to September, 1995. We analysised their final visual outcomes according to cultured microorganisms, durations of symptom onset after the surgeries, the methods of antibiotic administration and treatment methods with or without vitrectomies. Final visual accuities were 0.5 or better in 50% of all eyes, 0.15 or better in 75% and light perception or worse in 4 eyes(25%). Twelve(75%) of all eyes were cultured in positive. Five of twelve culture proven cases were Staphylococcus epidermidis and five were Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Each case of Xanthomonas maltophilia and fluorescens were cultured. All 5 cases infected by gram positive organisms had got visual accuity of 0.15 or better but 4 of 7 eyes infected by gram negative ones had got. We treated 9 patients with intravitreal, subconjunctival and systemic antibiotics but did 7 without systemic antibiotics. Six cases(85.7%) of these had got visual accuity of 0.15 or better but 6 cases(66.7%) of those had got. One of five patients who had undergone therapeutic vitrectomies had got visual outcome of 0.15 or better but all eleven without vitrectomy had got.