title: Evaluation of microbial flora in eyes with a Boston type 1 Keratoprosthesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the microbial flora of eyes with a Boston Keratoprosthesis (K-Pro).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was performed for 17 eyes of 15 patients who underwent a K-Pro implantation between September 2005 and June 2011. Preoperative diagnoses included failed corneal grafts, limbal stem cell deficiency, chemical burns, and Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. The patients used topical antibiotics after their surgery including a fluoroquinolone, polymyxin-trimethoprim, vancomycin, or a combination of the 3. The conjunctiva in the study eye was swabbed and cultured. A separate culture was taken of the contralateral eye as well. If available, the bandage contact lens was removed, and half of it was placed in thioglycolate broth, and half in 5 mL of a sterile balanced salt solution. The contact lens in the balanced salt solution was sonicated using a QSonica Q125 sonicator (Newtown, CT) for 1 minute, at an amplitude of 20%. Ten microliters of fluid was subsequently cultured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the patients who underwent the K-Pro surgery during that time period, 15 patients with 17 eyes were able to participate in the data collection. Nine of the 17 eyes implanted with the K-Pro (53%) had positive cultures. Two of the 13 (15%) of the control swabs exhibited bacterial growth. Eight percent (1/12) of the sonicated lenses were positive on culture, whereas 4/12 (33%) of the lenses placed in thioglycolate broth were positive for organisms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite being on antibiotics, eyes implanted with the K-Pro were more likely to have a positive conjunctival culture in our cohort as compared with that of fellow eyes.
authors.affiliation: *UC Davis Health System Eye Center, Sacramento, CA; and †Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA.
authors.forename: Samuel H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mannis
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.forename: Jennifer Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Polage
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001187:Artificial Organs / Q000382:microbiology*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology; D003315:Cornea / Q000382:microbiology*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents