[Endophthalmitis: pathogenesis and antibiotic prophylaxis]

Postoperative endophthalmitis is still one of the most fearsome complications of cataract surgery. The present review's aims are to study the etiology and pathogenesis of endophthalmitis and the criteria for antibiotic prophylaxis. Endophthalmitis prevalence is 0.07%-0.32% in cataract surgery. The clinical presentation needs to be perfectly known, even if none of the signs is pathognomonic. Bacteria predominantly cultured in postoperative endophthalmitis are gram-positive, especially Staphylococcus epidermidis. Most of the bacteria come from the patient. Bacterial adhesion to intraocular lenses (IOLs) takes place during their implantation, a prominent etiological factor. Polypropylene was the first biomaterial that proved this relation of cause and effect between bacterial adhesion and endophthalmitis. The benefit of antibiotic prophylaxis during cataract surgery has yet not been proven, since the low prevalence of endophthalmitis makes controlled studies with a large cohort difficult. The criteria and the four possible administration approaches (topical, subconjunctival, irrigation liquid, systemic) are analyzed.