Microbial contamination of donor eyes. A retrospective study.
The culture results of 4,167 donor eyes received over a two-year period are evaluated. Irrigation of the cornea and conjunctiva with 20 mL of sterile saline prior to enucleation decreased the incidence of bacterial contamination to 12.4%. The major contaminant is Staphylococcus epidermidis (66.4%). The incidence of endophthalmitis in the 1,880 corneal transplants performed during this time was 0.1%. The significance of irrigation and antibiotic use in processing donor corneas is discussed
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003315:Cornea / Q000382:microbiology; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D005125:Eye Banks; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D014015:Tissue Banks
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents