An infected hydrogel buckle with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Correspondence to: Dr Wai-Man Chan Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Eye Hospital, 147K Argyle Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong; cwm6373netvigator.com
- Accepted 1 July 2004
Scleral buckling is still the most common procedure to repair a rhematogenous retinal detachment. Acute or chronic infection of scleral explant is rare but well recognised serious postoperative complication threatening the eye and jeopardising the retinal attachment and visual outcome. They may present acutely as painful red eye with purulent discharge or chronically with extrusion of the explants. The reported incidence varies between 0.5% and 5.6%.1 Surgical technique, different synthetic materials of scleral explants, duration of surgery, size, and position of buckle affect the rate of infection.
In the largest retrospective review of 757 patients with episcleral buckle for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, Roldan-Pallares and associates had reported 1.3% patients requiring removal of the implant with the commonest seen in silicone sponge (9%) and the least common encountered in hydrogel implant (1.3%).2
Smiddy et al have studied 45 cases of scleral buckling infection and identified coagulase …
