Incidence of endophthalmitis after 20- and 25-gauge vitrectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the incidence rate of endophthalmitis after 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy and to compare it with the endophthalmitis rate after 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy.


METHODS
Retrospective, interventional, comparative cohort study.


METHODS
Eight thousand six hundred one consecutive pars plana vitrectomy surgery patients.


METHODS
Surgeries performed at a single institution between January 1, 2004, and September 1, 2006, were reviewed.


METHODS
Incidence of postvitrectomy endophthalmitis.


RESULTS
Endophthalmitis developed in 1 of 5498 eyes after 20-gauge vitrectomy (0.018%) and in 7 of 3103 eyes after 25-gauge vitrectomy cases (0.23%; P = 0.004). Median final visual acuity was counting fingers or hand movements (range, 20/50-no light perception), with comparable results between 20-gauge and 25-gauge endophthalmitis cases.


CONCLUSIONS
The visual outcomes of vitrectomy-associated endophthalmitis, for both 20-gauge and 25-gauge vitrectomy, is poor. In this study population, 25-gauge vitrectomy had a statistically significant 12-fold higher incidence of endophthalmitis compared with 20-gauge vitrectomy.
Kunimoto
Derek Y
DY
Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA.
Kaiser
Richard S
RS
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014823:Vitreous Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery