INTRAOCULAR POVIDONE-IODINE DURING PARS PLANA VITRECTOMY FOR SEVERE AND ATYPICAL ENDOPHTHALMITIS

To evaluate the use of povidone-iodine infusion during pars plana vitrectomy and to assess its clinical outcomes in the treatment of severe endophthalmitis.

A retrospective case series of 40 patients (41 eyes) with clinically or culture-confirmed endophthalmitis underwent pars plana vitrectomy with 0.025% povidone-iodine in the infusion solution. Outcomes included infection resolution, improvements in visual acuity, the need for additional surgeries, and signs of ocular toxicity.

Of the 41 eyes treated, infection resolved in 33 (80.4%) eyes postoperatively. Visual acuity improved postoperatively in 29 eyes (70.7%). Mean uncorrected visual acuity improved from 20/3,337 (2.22 ± 0.70 logMAR) preoperatively to 20/540 (1.43 ± 0.88 logMAR) postoperatively ( P < 0.0001). No ocular toxicity or unexplained vision loss related to povidone-iodine infusion was observed.

The addition of 0.025% povidone-iodine infusion during pars plana vitrectomy appears safe and led to favorable post-surgical outcomes in a traditionally high-risk cohort.