Changes in the conjunctival flora after conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy (CDCR): a preliminary report

Purpose. To describe changes in the conjunctival flora due to retrograde fl ow after conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy (CDCR) with Jones' tube implantat ion. Methods. In 20 patients, one year after unilateral CDCR with Jones' tube im plantation and a functionally successful outcome, conjunctival and nasal mu cosal specimens were taken from the operated side for bacteriological analy ses and non-operated eye conjunctival specimens were simultaneously taken a s the control group. The samples were cultivated in conventional media and also in hypertonic media in order to isolate L-forms of bacteria and to inc rease the isolation rate and sensitivity Results. Bacterial growth was defected in 16 operated (80%) and II non-oper ated eyes (55%) and 26 bacteria were isolated from nasal mucosa in 20 cases (isolation rate 100%). Bacteria isolated from the non-operated specimens w ere S. epidermidis (63.6%, seven cases), S. aureus (27.2%, three cases) and Corynebacterium sp. (9.0%, one case). Conjunctival cultures of the operate d eyes yielded S. epidermidis in three (18.7%), S. aureus in six (37.5%), C orynebacterium sp. in two (12.5%) and other bacteria in five (31.3%). Nasal mucosal cultures contained S. epiderm id is in nine cases (45%), S. aureus in eight (40%), Corynebacterium sp. in two (10%) and miscellaneous bacteri a in seven cases (35%). Conclusions. After CDCR the conjunctival flora of the eye undergoes differe ntiation and becomes similar to the nasal flora.