An outbreak of forty five cases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa acute endophthalmitis after phacoemulsification

PURPOSE: To describe an outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa endophthalmitis post cataract surgery. Clinical findings, treatment and outcome are discussed. METHODS: Clinical charts review of forty-five patients treated for endophthalmitis in a two-day period. The patients underwent primary vitrectomy, anterior chamber irrigation and intravitreous antibiotic injection. Cultures from vitreous and anterior chamber samples were performed in all patients. RESULTS: Forty-five patients (twenty-three men and twenty-two women) were identified. The average age was 71.2 years (range, 56-83 years). The right eye (62%) was affected more often than the left eye (38%). The median interval between surgery and endophthalmitis onset was 5.5 days (range, 5-6 days). The visual acuity at the diagnosis was better than 20/40 in one patient (2%), from 20/40 to 20/200 in one patient (2%), from 20/400 to counting fingers in two patients (4%), hand movements in eleven patients (24%), and light perception in thirty patients (68%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the isolated agent in twenty-six vitreous samples and in three anterior chamber samples. Overall, one patient (2%) achieved a final visual acuity better than 20/40; eight patients (18%) achieved a final visual acuity from 20/40 to 20/200; six patients (13%) achieved a final visual acuity from 20/400 to counting fingers; eleven patients (25%) achieved a final acuity of hand movements; thirteen patients (29%) achieved a final acuity of light perception and six (13%) patients had no light perception at the last examination. None of these eyes underwent evisceration or enucleation in a three-month follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Even with all the safety that cataract surgery has achieved, today, endophthalmitis remains a risk and a fearful complication of this procedure. In the present study, it was impossible to identify the source of the outbreak