[Bacterial contamination: epidemiology in cataract surgery]

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Microbiology
• Surgical Science

Background:

• Bacterial contamination of the anterior chamber (AC) post-cataract surgery poses a risk for endophthalmitis.
• Understanding factors influencing AC contamination is crucial for improving surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the incidence of AC bacterial contamination following cataract surgery.
• To investigate the impact of surgical technique and intraocular lens (IOL) haptic material on ocular contamination.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 2,624 patients undergoing cataract extraction.
• Comparison of contamination rates between extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and phacoemulsification.
• Microbiological analysis of anterior chamber aspirates obtained post-surgery.

Main Results:

• Overall AC contamination rate was 5% (132/2,624 patients).
• Commonly isolated organisms included Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Propionibacterium sp., and Corynebacterium sp.
• A significantly higher risk of AC contamination was observed with polypropylene haptic IOLs (9.9%) compared to polymethylmethacrylate haptics (4.4%).

Conclusions:

• Surgical technique (ECCE vs. phacoemulsification) did not significantly influence AC bacterial contamination rates.
• The material of intraocular lens haptics is a significant factor associated with increased bacterial contamination risk.