Pathologic findings in late endophthalmitis after glaucoma filtering surgery.

OBJECTIVE

To report the clinicopathologic features of four eyes enucleated for late-onset bleb-related endophthalmitis.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

MATERIALS

Four enucleated eyes.

METHODS

The clinical and histopathologic features of four patients who underwent enucleation for late-onset endophthalmitis after glaucoma filtering surgery were reviewed.

RESULTS

The eyes were enucleated for endophthalmitis one to five years after trabeculectomy. Two of the four eyes had trabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin-C. All four eyes had streptococci cultured from the aqueous and/or vitreous. Common pathologic features included inflammation involving the anterior segment, lens and choroid. One eye exhibited focal granulomatous uveitis.

CONCLUSIONS

Late-onset endophthalmitis after glaucoma filtering surgery is often due to streptococcal species and rapidly progresses over a few days. Phacoanaphylaxis with associated granulomatous uveitis may contribute to the poor prognosis in this setting.