No consistency in endophthalmitis prophylaxis

Article

Methods of attempting to prevent postoperative endophthalmitis vary widely across the United Kingdom, according to a study published in the May 2008 issue of Eye.

Methods of attempting to prevent postoperative endophthalmitis vary widely across the United Kingdom, according to a study published in the May 2008 issue of Eye.

Patel Gordon-Bennett of the department of ophthalmology at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Cambridgeshire, UK and colleagues conducted a telephone interview survey with 800 staff from ophthalmic training units across the UK between October and November 2005.

The team found that 99.4% of surgeons (n=795) used a preoperative preparation of povidone-iodine on the skin; 69.8% (n=558) instilled povidone-iodine into the conjunctival sac; and 5.9% (n=47) administered antibiotic eyedrops. During surgery, 17.8% (n=142) administered intracameral antibiotics: 66.4% (n=531) administered subconjunctival cefuroxime, 6.0% (n=48) administered routine gentamycin and 4.9% (n=39) administered alternative subconjunctival antibiotics; 16.8% (n=134) administered topical drops as a single dose. Combination steroid/neomycin drops were used by 64.4% of surgeons (n=515) postoperatively; 26.6% (n=213) administered separate drops.

The study revealed wide variation in the preventative measures employed by surgeons. The most frequently deployed methods of endophthalmitis prophylaxis are administrations of subconjunctival and intracameral cefuroxime.

Newsletter

Join ophthalmologists across Europe—sign up for exclusive updates and innovations in surgical techniques and clinical care.

Recent Videos
Christine Curcio, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, shares histology update and revised nomenclature for OCT with Sheryl Stevenson of the Eye Care Network and Ophthalmology Times
SriniVas R. Sadda, MD, FARVO, shares key points from his retina presentation at the International SPECTRALIS Symposium
Robert Sergott, MD, describes fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy (FLIO) and the International SPECTRALIS Symposium – And Beyond (ISS) in Heidelberg, Germany.
Rayaz Malik, MBChB, PhD, a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, spoke with Ophthalmology Times Europe about his presentation. It's titled "An eye on neurodegenerative diseases: Challenging the dogma" at the International SPECTRALIS Sympsoium. In conversation with Hattie Hayes, Ophthalmology Times Europe
Anat Loewenstein, MD, describes her presentation on remote imaging for age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy at the International SPECTRALIS Symposium, in conversation with Hattie Hayes of Ophthalmology Times Europe
Tyson Brunstetter, OD, PhD, a US Navy Aerospace Optometrist at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, shares key takeaways from his keynote at the International SPECTRALIS Symposium (ISS)
Rayaz Malik, MBChB, PhD, shares his presentation, titled An eye on neurodegenerative diseases: Challenging the dogma, at this year's International SPECTRALIS Symposium
At the Retina World Congress, Siegfried Priglinger, MD, speaks about ensuring the best outcomes for preschool-aged patients
At the 2025 ASCRS meeting, Robert Ang, MD said small aperture IOLs can benefit all patients, especially those with complex corneas or who have undergone previous corneal refractive surgery
Viha Vig, MBChB graduate student at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, discusses her poster presentation on the relationship between mitochondiral disease, Alzheimer disease, and other types of dementia.
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.