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Sutureless wound infection by unusual acid-fast organisms

Vandana Jain1, Prashant Garg, Savitri Sharma

  • 1Cornea and Anterior Segment Service, Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, India. docvandanajain@rediffmail.com

Cornea
|June 4, 2008
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Cataract surgery patients developed rare acid-fast organism infections in self-sealing wounds. Early diagnosis and tailored treatment, including surgery, are crucial for managing this serious complication.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Phacoemulsification is a common cataract surgery technique utilizing self-sealing corneal incisions.
  • Corneal tunnel infections are a rare but serious complication following cataract surgery.

Observation:

  • Two cases of corneal tunnel infection after phacoemulsification are presented.
  • The infections were caused by unusual acid-fast organisms, identified via Ziehl-Neelsen staining.
  • Diagnosis was aided by lamellar keratoplasty and analysis of tunnel scrapings.

Findings:

  • Acid-fast bacteria can cause post-phacoemulsification tunnel infections.
  • Diagnosis requires specific staining techniques (Ziehl-Neelsen) and sample analysis.
  • Medical therapy guided by susceptibility testing may be insufficient; surgical intervention (keratectomy, graft) might be necessary.

Implications:

  • Highlights the potential for uncommon pathogens in post-surgical eye infections.
  • Emphasizes the importance of a thorough diagnostic approach for unusual infections.
  • Underscores the need for prompt and potentially combined medical-surgical management to preserve vision.

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