Intraocular bacterial contamination during cataract surgery in dogs

Prevalence of intraoperative contamination of the eyelids, conjunctival sac, and aqueous humor of 50 canine eyes that underwent elective cataract surgery was determined, and the short-term outcomes for contaminated and noncontaminated eyes were compared by scoring media clarity, pupil size and shape, and behavioral evidence of vision during the initial 30-day postoperative period. Results of bacteriologic culture of anterior chamber samples were positive for 12 of the 50 (24%) eyes, but anterior chamber contamination was unrelated to results of bacteriologic culture of eyelids or conjunctival sac swab samples. Eyes undergoing phacoemulsification were less likely to be contaminated than were eyes undergoing intra- or extracapsular extraction. Eyes undergoing intra- or extracapsular extraction and eyes with anterior chamber contamination had a greater likelihood of developing glaucoma postoperatively. We did not detect an association between intraocular contamination and the surgeon performing the operation, the need for postoperative administration of tissue plasminogen activator, or the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus. Also, we did not detect any differences in outcome between eyes with and without intraocular contamination. Despite intraoperative bacterial contamination of the anterior chamber, bacterial endophthalmitis did not develop in any of the eyes.