[Endophthalmia of pseudophakic patients].

Abstract

After the era of antibiotics, a real improvement has been stated in the percentage of endophthalmis following cataract surgery which has fallen from 1% between 1950 and 1977, to 0.2-0.3% now. Since 10 lenses have been implanted, the incidence of acute bacterial endophthalmitis due to pathogenic organisms has not increased. But we now encounter many cases of "cold endophthalmitis", with a lowered symptomatology, a delayed onset, and which are due to organisms of low virulence. Their prognosis can be improved by early vitrectomy combined to intraocular antibiotics in the more severe cases, and by using antibiotics of high intraocular penetration in the milder cases. We report fifteen cases of pseudophakic endophthalmitis. The clinical course was acute in one case, sub acute in eleven cases, and chronic in three cases. In the latter fourteen cases a vitrectomy was performed in 60% of the cases. Aqueous and vitreous taps have found cocci gram + in five cases. Visual results are superior to 1/20 in 2/3 of the cases.