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BACTERIAL FLORA IN RELATION TO CATARACT EXTRACTION
Author(s) -
FAHMY J. A.,
MØLLER S.,
BENTZON M. WEIS
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1976.tb01255.x
Subject(s) - chemosis , medicine , conjunctiva , keratoconjunctivitis , endophthalmitis , hyperaemia , aqueous humor , ophthalmology , surgery , dermatology , immunology , blood flow
In 499 patients operated on for cataract, the clinical postoperative signs of extraocular inflammation (conjunctival hyperaemia, chemosis, discharge and oedema of the lids), the number of infiltrates around the corneoscleral sutures, and the severity of intraocular inflammation in the anterior chamber (aqueous‐flare) were assessed on the fourth postoperative day and correlated with the bacterial conjunctival flora examined both qualitatively and quantitatively on the same day. Patients with potential pathogens ( Staphylococcus aureus , gram‐negative bacilli and streptococci) on the conjunctiva following operation did not show any increased inflammatory reactions when compared with those without such pathogens. The quantity of bacteria, i. e. number of colonies, did not appear to play a role. The reasons are discussed. The clinical postoperative inflammatoy signs were further correlated with the following factors: surgical complications, quality of suturing technique, use of alpha chymotrypsin, systemic disease, sex and age. A positive correlation was found between the severity of extraocular inflammation and retained lens material and hyphaema. Furthermore, extraocular reactions were more severe in males than females. The incidence of infiltrates around corneoscleral sutures was found to vary with age, i. e. occurred more frequently in patients < 60 years. No relationship was found between the severity of aqueous‐flare and the above mentioned factors.