Lack of effect of prophylactic gentamicin treatment on intraocular and extraocular fluid cultures after pars plana vitrectomy

Yuval A. Gelfand, Eedy Mezer, Shai Linn, Benjamin Miller

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of preoperative prophylactic 0.3% gentamicin sulfate eyedrops on intraocular and extraocular fluid cultures after pars plana vitrectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty consecutive patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy were randomly assigned to receive either 0.3% gentamicin eyedrops or placebo preoperatively. Fluids from the vitreous cavity and from the conjunctival sac were collected for bacteriologic studies. RESULTS: Positive cultures from extraocular fluids were obtained in 30.4% of the gentamicin group and 35.3% of the placebo group (P = .75). Furthermore, 1 (3%) of 40 cultures of intraocular fluid and 13 (33%) of 40 cultures of extraocular fluid were positive. Culture growth positivity was not influenced by the patients' age, by diabetes, or by the duration of the operation. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic gentamicin treatment by the method applied in this study is not effective on reducing growth positivity. Contaminated extraocular fluid may play an important role in the pathogenesis of bacterial endophthalmitis following pars plana vitrectomy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)497-501
Number of pages5
JournalOphthalmic Surgery and Lasers
Volume29
Issue number6
StatePublished - Jun 1998
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ophthalmology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Lack of effect of prophylactic gentamicin treatment on intraocular and extraocular fluid cultures after pars plana vitrectomy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this