title: Microbial contamination of the anterior chamber during phacoemulsification.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the nature and frequency of anterior chamber contamination during phacoemulsification.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Ophthalmology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty eyes of 80 patients having routine phacoemulsification cataract surgery were recruited into this prospective study. Bacterial cultures from the intraoperative anterior chamber aspirates from the patients were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anterior chamber fluid aspirates were positive for bacteria in 37 eyes (46.25%). Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the most common aerobe and Propionibacterium acnes, the most common anaerobe.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicate that phacoemulsification has no proven advantage over conventional extracapsular cataract extraction in reducing intraoperative bacterial contamination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry-605006, India.
authors.forename: Renuka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.forename: Sambath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tiroumal
authors.forename: Reba
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kanungo
authors.forename: Mangudi Kanakasabai
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Natarajan
mesh_terms: D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000382:microbiology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate