Did the spectrum of endophthalmitis change? A study comprising 13 years experience with operative therapy of endophthalmitis.

PURPOSE. The authors wondered whether the spectrum of endophthalmitis and the type of therapy had changed. METHODS. Files of patients who were operated upon for endophthalmitis between 1988 and 2000 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into Group 1 (operated upon 1988 to 1994) and Group 2 (1995 to 2000). RESULTS. Group 1 consisted of 83 patients (43.4% female, mean age 63.9 years), Group 2 of 108 (38.9% female, mean age 64.6 years). Bilateral endophthalmitis occurred in 8.4% of Group 1 patients (3.7% of Group 2 patients). Patients in both groups took on average 1.2 drug types against various internal diseases. The mean interval between first symptoms and presentation in the clinic was 45.7 days in Group 1 (19 days in Group 2; difference statistically significant). There were 63% (Group 1) (70% [Group 2]) cases of postoperative endophthalmitis, among them 58% (Group 1) (63% [Group 2]) after cataract extraction, 6% (Group 1) (5% [Group 2]) after glaucoma surgery, 20% (Group 1) (17% [Group 2]) endogenous and 17% (Group 1) (13% [Group 2]) posttraumatic. In Group 2 slightly more Gram-negative bacteria were found. As an initial procedure the following were performed: vitrectomy (70% [Group 1], 88% [Group 2]), removal of crystalline lens (11% [Group 1], 10% [Group 2]), removal of pseudophakos (2% [Group 1], 12% [Group 2]), opening of posterior capsule (1% [Group 1], 9% [Group 2]), and anterior chamber irrigation (36% [Group 1], 43% [Group 2]), often combining procedures. There were significantly more vitrectomies and openings of the posterior capsule in Group 2. Neither the spectrum of secondary and tertiary procedures nor the reasons for such surgery differed in both groups. Neither visual acuity at initial presentation (0.1) nor at final follow-up (0.3) differed between the two groups. The rate of enucleation was less in Group 2 (6% versus 11%) although not statistically significantly. CONCLUSIONS. In Group 2 there were slightly more Gram-negative bacteria and the time interval between initial symptoms and presentation in the clinic had decreased. This can be interpreted as an increase in the severity of the endophthalmitis cases. The final visual acuity was identical in both groups, the enucleation rate improved.