Reevaluating intracameral cefuroxime as a prophylaxis against endophthalmitis after cataract surgery in India

To determine whether an intracameral injection of cefuroxime sodium at the conclusion of cataract surgery lowers the incidence of acute-onset postoperative endophthalmitis.

Tertiary eye care center, Bhubaneswar, India.

Prospective comparative interventional cohort study.

Under a uniform protocol, cataract surgery with posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC IOL) implantation was performed from September 27, 2006, to July 31, 2010 (Group 1). All eyes were evaluated 1 day, 7 days, and 5 weeks ± 1 (SD) postoperatively. Treatment of eyes suspected to have developed infectious endophthalmitis was managed by retina-vitreous surgeons. From August 1, 2010, to August 31, 2012, the same surgeons performed cataract surgery with PC IOL implantation in another group of eyes, in which they administered intracameral cefuroxime prophylaxis (Group 2). All other protocols of postoperative care and microbiological investigation of the vitreous samples were similar. The rate of clinical and culture-positive endophthalmitis was compared between the 2 study groups: eyes without intracameral cefuroxime (Group 1) and eyes with intracameral cefuroxime (Group 2).

The incidence of clinical endophthalmitis in Group 1 (0.155% [12/7756 eyes]) and in Group 2 (0.108% [8/7366 eyes]) was not significantly different (P = .57). The culture positivity rate in Group 1 (0.09 % [7 eyes]) and in Group 2 (0.04% [3 eyes]) was also not significantly different (P = .38). In the treatment without intracameral cefuroxime, there was a minimal, statistically insignificant increase in postoperative acute endophthalmitis (odds ratio, 1.42; 95% confidence interval, 0.53-4.02; P = .506).

There is not strong evidence to support use of intracameral cefuroxime to reduce the rate of acute endophthalmitis after cataract surgery; however, the marginal benefit might justify its use.

No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.