title: Microfiltration of brilliant blue G dye.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brilliant blue G (BBG) is a safe and effective dye used to highlight the internal limiting membrane during macular surgery. The authors proposed that the utilization of a 0.22-μm filter intraoperatively can reduce the risk of inoculating an eye with contaminated BBG.
  
  
  METHODS
  An in vitro model of contaminated BBG was prepared. Laboratory stock cultures of 7 organisms including, Staphyloccocus epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphyloccocus aureus, Haemophilus influenza, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Fusarium species, and Candida albicans, were prepared in five 10-fold dilutions and injected into BBG vials. These mixtures were drawn with either a 5-μm filter, 0.22-μm, or without a filter and cultured on appropriate plates and growth conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No culture plates that had inoculate drawn through a 0.22-μm filter showed evidence of growth. There was evidence of growth for all organisms when no filter was used. A 5 μm was insufficient to filter Fusarium species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using a 0.22-μm filter in the intraoperative processing of BBG would likely reduce the risk of infectious endophthalmitis resulting from contaminated dye.
authors.affiliation: Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Sri Krishna
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mukkamala
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Whittier
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015821:Eye Infections, Fungal / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; C004692:coomassie Brilliant Blue