PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Bijan Beigi
AU  - William Westlake
AU  - Else Mangelschots
AU  - Bernard Chang
AU  - Walter Rich
AU  - Terry Riordan
TI  - Peroperative microbial contamination of anterior chamber aspirates during extracapsular cataract extraction and phacoemulsification
AID  - 10.1136/bjo.81.11.953
DP  - 1997 Nov 01
TA  - British Journal of Ophthalmology
PG  - 953--955
VI  - 81
IP  - 11
4099  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/81/11/953.short
4100  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/81/11/953.full
SO  - Br J Ophthalmol1997 Nov 01; 81
AB  - BACKGROUND The normal conjunctival flora is one of the main sources of intraocular contamination during cataract surgery. The theory that the positive anterior chamber (AC) pressure during phacoemulsification (phaco), and the smaller wound utilised, might reduce the rate of contamination was studied. METHODS The peroperative AC aspirates of 210 consecutive patients undergoing cataract surgery were assessed. In group 1, 100 patients underwent a standard extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE). In group 2, 110 patients underwent phacoemulsification of the crystalline lens through a scleral tunnel. AC aspirates from the Simcoe irrigation/aspiration cannula (group 1) and phaco probe (group 2) were collected and microbiological studies performed after direct and enrichment cultures. RESULTS There were 29 (29%) positives in the ECCE group compared with 22 (20%) positive cultures from AC aspirates in the phaco group. Coagulase negative staphylococcus (CNS) was the commonest contaminant in both groups. CONCLUSION Although there was a higher rate of AC contamination during ECCE, the difference was not statistically significant (p> 0.10, χ2=2.31).