title: Intraocular fluid cultures after primary pars plana vitrectomy.
abstract: To determine what organisms enter the eye and remain in the eye after pars plana vitrectomy, vitreous cavity aspirates were cultured postoperatively. Two of 33 (6%) consecutive eyes undergoing primary pars plana vitrectomy had positive cultures. One sample grew a single colony of Staphylococcus epidermidis, the second grew two colonies of Acinetobacter lwoffi. Neither of these eyes developed endophthalmitis. This study demonstrates that bacteria enter the eye at a low rate during pars plana vitrectomy and that the eye on which a vitrectomy has been performed is capable of clearing a low inoculum of bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento 95816.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Benner
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Landers
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Morse
mesh_terms: D000150:Acinetobacter / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000382:microbiology