Endoscopic vitrectomy in endophthalmitis: initial experience of 33 cases at a tertiary eye care center

To report the presentation and management outcomes of endophthalmitis with endoscopic vitrectomy.

This is a retrospective interventional case series conducted at a tertiary eye care center in south India. Thirty three eyes of 33 patients were included. The medical records of the patients who underwent endoscopic vitrectomy for endophthalmitis from April 2014 to March 2018 were reviewed. Data with regard to age, gender, etiology of endophthalmitis, corneal and retinal examination, type of intervention, final anatomic and visual outcome, and the total follow-up were collected. The main outcome measures were the final visual acuity and evisceration rates.

The mean age at presentation was 46.84±19.89 years, with a median age of 50 years. Based on etiology, 13 eyes (39.4%) were post-trauma endophthalmitis, eleven eyes (33.33%) were post-cataract surgery, three eyes (9.09%) were endogenous, three eyes (9.09%) were post-perforated corneal ulcer, two eyes (6.06%) were post-retinal surgery, and one eye (3.03%) was post-combined cataract and corneal surgery. Twenty-four eyes (72.72%) had a favorable anatomic outcome at the last visit, and five eyes (15.15%) had a favorable visual outcome. Of those with unfavorable visual outcome, ten eyes had further visual potential. Sixteen eyes (48.48%) showed a positive culture on microbiologic evaluation. The predominant organism isolated was Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Evisceration was required only in one eye (3.03%).

Endoscopic vitrectomy allows early management of endophthalmitis in spite of hazy media. This ensures a reasonable visual outcome, controls the infection, and reduces the incidence of evisceration in these eyes.