Association between nonadministration of subconjunctival cefuroxime and postoperative endophthalmitis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether not administering subconjunctival cefuroxime during cataract surgery is associated with postoperative endophthalmitis.


METHODS
Southampton Eye Unit, Southampton General Hospital, England.


METHODS
This retrospective, case-control study comprised nine patients who developed endophthalmitis after cataract surgery in a single ophthalmic unit over a 21 month period. Ten control patients for each case were randomly chosen from patients having cataract surgery within 1 week of the endophthalmitis case.


RESULTS
None of the nine endophthalmitis patients received peroperative subconjunctival cefuroxime compared with 43 of 90 control patients (47.8%) (P = 0.008). No other variables were found to be associated with development of endophthalmitis in this study.


CONCLUSIONS
Nonadministration of subconjunctival cefuroxime was associated with subsequent endophthalmitis. A further study to determine whether the observed association is causal is therefore warranted.
Lehmann
O J
OJ
Southampton Eye Unit, Southampton General Hospital, England.
Roberts
C J
CJ
Ikram
K
K
Campbell
M J
MJ
McGill
J I
JI
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000382:microbiology; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002444:Cefuroxime / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003228:Conjunctiva; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000382:microbiology
D002511:Cephalosporins; D002444:Cefuroxime