Vancomycin prophylaxis and intraocular contamination during cataract surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of vancomycin added to the intraocular irrigation solution to prevent anterior chamber contamination during phacoemulsification.


METHODS
Centre Hospitalier, Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, France.


METHODS
A group of 372 patients having cataract extraction by phacoemulsification was divided into two consecutive, nonrandomized groups. The first group (n = 190) was a control; there was no antibiotic in the irrigation solution. The second group (n = 182) received vancomycin in the irrigation solution. Intraocular fluid was aspirated at the end of surgery and injected into a blood culture bottle to evaluate bacterial contamination of the anterior chamber.


RESULTS
There was no between-group difference in bacterial intraocular contamination. Eight samples in the first group were contaminated and nine in the second group. All contaminants were gram-positive vancomycin-sensitive organisms.


CONCLUSIONS
Adding vancomycin to the intraocular irrigation solution during cataract surgery had no effect on the occurrence of intraocular contamination as evaluated by anterior chamber taps.
Feys
J
J
Department of Ophthalmology, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal, Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, France.
Salvanet-Bouccara
A
A
Emond
J P
JP
Dublanchet
A
A
D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000382:microbiology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin