VANCOMYCIN PROPHYLAXIS AND INTRAOCULAR CONTAMINATION DURING CATARACT-SURGERY

Purpose: To investigate the effect of vancomycin added to the intraocu lar irrigation solution to prevent anterior chamber contamination duri ng phacoemulsification. Setting: Centre Hospitalier, Villeneuve-Saint- Georges, France. Methods: A group of 372 patients having cataract extr action by phacoemulsification was divided into two consecutive, nonran domized groups. The first group (n = 190) was a control; there was no antibiotic in the irrigation solution. The second group (n = 182) rece ived vancomycin in the irrigation solution. Intraocular fluid was aspi rated at the end of surgery and injected into a blood culture bottle t o evaluate bacterial contamination of the anterior chamber. Results: T here was no between-group difference in bacterial intraocular contamin ation. Eight samples in the first group were contaminated and nine in the second group. All contaminants were gram-positive vancomycin-sensi tive organisms. Conclusions: Adding vancomycin to the intraocular irri gation solution during cataract surgery had no effect on the occurrenc e of intraocular contamination as evaluated by anterior chamber taps.