Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To investigate the clinical settings and treatment outcomes for endophthalmitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methods: The medical records were reviewed of all patients treated for Pseudomonas aeruginosa endophthalmitis at a single institution between January 1, 1987 and November 2001. Results: Twenty-eight eyes of twenty-eight patients with a median age of 75 years (range, 5-93) were identified. The clinical setting of endophthalmitis included: post-cataract surgery (9), corneal ulcer (7), post-penetrating keratoplasty (5), bleb-associated (2), post-glaucoma drainage implant (2), post-pars plana vitrectomy (1), post-iris cyst removal (1) and trauma (1). The median interval between surgery and presentation with endophthalmitis was 16 days (range, 1 day-6 years). The median duration of symptoms was 1 day (range, 3 hours-9 days) and all patients were treated for endophthalmitis on the day of presentation. Eleven (39%) patients presented with hand motions or better vision in the infected eye. Pars plana vitrectomy was performed in 11 (39%) patients and intravitreal antibiotics were administered in all cases. The organism was sensitive to the antibiotic administered in 100% of the cases. Nineteen (68%) patients had a final visual acuity outcome of no light perception and no patient achieved a final visual acuity better than 20/400. Eighteen eyes (64%) were either eviscerated or enucleated. Conclusion: Endophthalmitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa portends a poor visual prognosis despite prompt treatment with intravitreal antibiotics to which the organisms were sensitive.
Keywords: 531 Pseudomonas • 398 endophthalmitis • 554 retina