Primary implant placement with evisceration in patients with endophthalmitis

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of primary orbital implant placement wi th evisceration in patients with endophthalmitis and blind eyes. Design: Retrospective noncomparative case series. Participants: Eleven patients with endophthalmitis and blind eyes underwent evisceration by two surgeons between 1994 and 1998. Interventions Evisceration and primary orbital implant placement. Main Outcome Measures: All patients were evaluated for implant exposure and successful fitting of their prostheses. Results: Ten of 11 patients had uneventful postoperative courses and succes sful prosthetic fitting. One patient with Pseudomonas aeruginosa endophthal mitis had an implant exposure successfully treated with a fascia lata patch . Conclusions: Primary orbital implant placement with evisceration in patient s with endophthalmitis is an acceptable treatment, eliminating the need for open evisceration and subsequent delayed orbital implant placement. Ophtha lmology 2000;107:1661-1665 (C) 2000 by the American Academy of Ophthalmolog y.