Abstract
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the optical density of biofilm on silicone tube and postoperative clinical results.
Methods:
The study was prospectively reviewed patients who underwent silicone tube intubation. The silicone tubes removed at post-operative 6 months and surgical success was evaluated at post-operative 12 months. The removed silicone tube from the nasal cavity after cutting the loop between the upper and lower puncta were divided 2 piece. One piece was cultured, and the other piece was measured optical density of biofilm. Each piece divided 3-piece according to average normal nasolacrimal anatomy, part 1 piece(segment of upper 20mm) was located in from puncta to lacrimal sac, part 2 piece(segment of next 20mm) in nasolacrimal duct, part 3 piece(other remain segment) in nasal cavity. Part 3 pieces were excluded in this study. The relationship between the biofilm on each part of silicone tube, isolation of culture and clinical outcome of silicone tube intubation was evaluated.
Results:
Forty one silicone tubes removed from 31 patients were enrolled. Thirty cases were surgical success at post-operative 12 months(73.2%), and 11 cases(26.8%) were surgical failure with persistent epiphora. Bacteria were isolated in 38 silicone tubes(92.7%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated most frequently(10 cases) in part 1 piece, in case of part 2 piece, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus(MSSA) were isolated most frequently(10 cases). Surgical failure was related with isolation of pseudomonas aeruginosa(fisher’s exact test, P=0.041). Optical density in part 1 piece showed no statistically difference between cases of surgical success and failure group(Mann-Whitney U test, P=0.919). But optical density in part 2 of failure group(0.41±0.228nm) showed increased optical density statistically, compared with that of success group(0.25±0.190nm)(Mann-Whitney U test, P = 0.006).
Conclusions:
Optical density of biofilm on silicone tube at nasolacrimal duct may have effect on clinical outcome of silicone tube intubation. And isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa may correlation with surgical failure.
Keywords: 664 pseudomonas •
720 Staphylococcus