A prospective study demonstrating the effect of 5% povidone-iodine application for anterior segment intraocular surgery in Paraguay.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the conjunctival bacterial flora in cataract surgery patients and the effect of presurgical irrigation with 5% povidone-iodine solution.


METHODS
Three samples from the inferior conjunctival fornix of the eye to be operated were obtained at baseline before washing (T0) with 10 ml 5% povidone-iodine solution, immediately after washing (T1), and upon completion of surgery (T2). Bacteria from the samples were inoculated in blood agar, chocolate agar, and thioglycolate broth.


RESULTS
A total of 221 patients (n=224 eyes) with a mean age of 67 +/- 13 years were included in the study. Bacteria from the (T0) samples were successfully grown in 73.2% of the thioglycolate agars, 21.0% of the blood agars, and 19.2% of the chocolate agars. Compared with T1 samples, the use of povidone-iodine wash translated into a 60.8% reduction (from 73.2% to 12.5%) in colonization of the conjunctiva (p<0.001), while no significant difference was found between the T1 and T2 samples.


CONCLUSIONS
Conjunctival irrigation with a 5% povidone-iodine solution effectively reduces conjunctival flora and is therefore strongly recommended as a means of preventing postsurgical endophthalmitis following cataract surgery.
Quiroga
Lorena P
LP
Instituto de Previsión Social, Fundacion Vision e Central Hospital, Asunción, Paraguay. dralorenaquiroga@gmail.com
Lansingh
Van
V
Laspina
Florentina
F
Samudio
Margarita
M
Stanley
Jenny
J
Kaspar
Herminia Miño de
HM
Cibils
Diógenes
D
Cibils
Pablo
P
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000368:Aged; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology*; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011206:Povidone-Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D011206:Povidone-Iodine