[Bacterial contamination of needles after intravitreal injection in Paraguay].
OBJECTIVE
The study was designed to prospectively evaluate the bacterial contamination of needles used for intravitreal injection during surgery.


METHODS
Between December 2007 and December 2010, 549 eyes of 413 patients were treated with intravitreal injections of 1.25 mg bevacizumab. Of the patients 322 received a single injection and 91 multiple injections. Preoperatively the periorbital skin of all patients was treated with 10% povidone iodine (PVI) and the conjunctival sac was irrigated with 1% PVI. No pre-injection antibiotics were administered. Immediately after the injection the needles were rinsed 3 times in thioglycolate broth which was then cultured at 37°C for 5 days. As a negative control 73 sterile unused needles were treated in the same way.


RESULTS
Out of the 549 needle points tested 8 (1,45%) were found to be contaminated after intravitreal injections. The isolated bacteria were coagulase negative Staphylococcus (n = 7), Propionibacterium acnes (n = 1) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 1) (co-contamination in one case).


CONCLUSIONS
Contamination of needles is minimal after prophylactic povidone iodine irrigation before intravitreal injections. Therefore, this prophylaxis technique is recommended before intravitreal injections in order to prevent postoperative infections.
Augenklinik der LMU, Klinikum der Universität München, Campus Innenstadt, Mathildenstrasse 8, Munich, Germany.
J C
JC
Gines
M M
MM
Nentwich
A H
AH
Peggy Bedoya
P
P
Cibils
A
A
Esteche
F
F
Laspina
M
M
Samudio
N
N
Fariña
H M
HM
de Kaspar
D000328:Adult; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology*; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010239:Paraguay / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult