Microbial contamination of the anterior chamber during phacoemulsification.

PURPOSE

To study the nature and frequency of anterior chamber contamination during phacoemulsification.

SETTING

Department of Ophthalmology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India.

METHODS

Eighty eyes of 80 patients having routine phacoemulsification cataract surgery were recruited into this prospective study. Bacterial cultures from the intraoperative anterior chamber aspirates from the patients were assessed.

RESULTS

Anterior chamber fluid aspirates were positive for bacteria in 37 eyes (46.25%). Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the most common aerobe and Propionibacterium acnes, the most common anaerobe.

CONCLUSION

Results indicate that phacoemulsification has no proven advantage over conventional extracapsular cataract extraction in reducing intraoperative bacterial contamination.