Microbial contamination of the anterior chamber during phacoemulsification.
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.
Srinivasan
Renuka
R
Department of Ophthalmology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry-605006, India.
Tiroumal
Sambath
S
Kanungo
Reba
R
Natarajan
Mangudi Kanakasabai
MK
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
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate