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Published on: February 6, 2021
Topical anaesthesia: a risk factor for post-cataract-extraction endophthalmitis?
1Hawthorn Eye Clinic, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. mellis@connexus.net.au
Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology
|March 22, 2003
Summary
Topical anesthesia for cataract surgery may increase the risk of endophthalmitis compared to retrobulbar anesthesia. Further investigation into anesthesia techniques is warranted for patient safety.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Surgical Anesthesia
Background:
- Postoperative endophthalmitis is a serious complication of cataract surgery.
- Anesthesia techniques, including topical and retrobulbar, are employed in cataract surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the incidence of endophthalmitis between topical and retrobulbar anesthesia in temporal clear corneal cataract surgery.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of cataract surgeries performed between October 1997 and October 2001.
- Comparison of endophthalmitis rates in patients receiving topical versus retrobulbar anesthesia.
Main Results:
- Four of five early postoperative endophthalmitis cases occurred with topical anesthesia (P=0.05).
- Staphylococcus epidermidis was the predominant organism in topical anesthesia cases.
- No endophthalmitis cases were observed in 453 subsequent surgeries performed under retrobulbar anesthesia.
Conclusions:
- Topical anesthesia may be a contributing factor to endophthalmitis after cataract surgery.
- A shift to retrobulbar anesthesia coincided with a zero incidence of endophthalmitis.
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