[Intraocular antibiotic administration for prevention of fibrin reaction after extracapsular cataract extraction? A...

Postoperative fibrinoid reactions are regarded as a localized form of endophthalmitis caused by microbial contamination of the capsular bag during intraocular lens implantation. The incidence of early fibrinoid reactions within the first 6 postoperative days following extracapsular cataract extraction was examined after intraocular administration of antibiotics vs placebo. In a double-blind randomized trial, 2 mg cefamandol or a placebo was administered in a 0.4-ml volume at the end of the operation. A group of 28 patients received the antibiotic (mean age 74.6 years; 15 f, 13 m), while 33 patients received the placebo (mean age 72,1 years; 21 f, 12 m). Fibrinoid reactions were observed in 8 out of 61 patients during the first 6 postoperative days. There was no significant difference between the antibiotic group and the placebo group (P = 0.31). We were unable to reduce the incidence of fibrinoid reactions although we had selected a broad-spectrum cephalosporin for antibiotic treatment. The results give rise to the suspicion that most of the early postoperative fibrinoid reactions we observed were not caused by contamination with bacteria of low pathogenicity.