title: Bacterial contamination of needles used for intravitreal injections: comparison between 27-gauge and 30-gauge needles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the contamination rate between 27-gauge and 30-guage needles used for intravitreal injection (IVT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients undergoing IVT injections were enrolled prospectively. Injections were performed with 27- or 30-gauge needles. All needle tips were collected and placed in brain-heart infusion broth. The contamination rates of needles were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 109 patients participated in the study and a total of 126 IVT injections were performed. Injections were performed by 27-gauge (49%) and 30-gauge (51%) needle. No patient developed endophthalmitis. The overall contamination rate of the used needles were 13% for 27-guage and 29% for 30-guage (p = 0.022). However, this difference was nonsignificant after Bonferroni's correction was applied. The most common bacteria isolated from the used needles are coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the needle bore size seems not to be a risk factor for contamination during IVT injection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and.
authors.forename: Hasan Ali
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Tufan
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vural
authors.forename: Baran
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gencer
authors.forename: Selcuk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kara
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arikan
authors.forename: Erdem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yuksel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology*; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles / Q000382:microbiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors