Incidence and Predictive Risk Factors for Post-Cataract Surgery Endophthalmitis in Ministry of Health Hospitals from 2012 to 2020.

Purpose: Postoperative endophthalmitis is a devastating complication, leading to poor visual prognosis. The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence, risk factors, and visual outcome of post-cataract surgery endophthalmitis in Malaysia over a 9-year period (2012-2020).

Methods: Data from National Eye Database (NED), involving all patients who have undergone cataract surgery from January 2012 until December 2020 were analyzed.

Results: Total number of patients who had undergone cataract surgery between the year 2012 till 2020 were 231,281 patients (267,781 eyes). Incidence of POE in this population was 0.08%. Patient aged 70 and above (p-value 0.047), Malay ethnicity (p-value: 0.009), presence of ischemic heart disease, renal failure, diabetic retinopathy, and poorer preoperative vision were shown to have a higher risk of POE. Cataract surgeries done in KK-KKM, duration more than 45 minutes, use of general anaesthesia, and no IOL or ACIOL implantation were significantly more in POE patients. Multivariate analysis revealed Malay ethnicity, presence of ocular comorbidity, poor preoperative vision, ACIOL, and presence of intra-operative complication were predictive factors for POE.

Conclusions: Incidence of POE is low in the Malaysian population. Surgeons have to be aware that Malay ethnicity, presence of ocular comorbidity, poor preoperative visual acuity, placement of IOL and complicated cataract operation have higher risk of POE.