Purpose: Study the clinical and microbiological characteristics and the prognostic factors of post-traumatic endophthalmitis.
Methods: Seventeen eyes were included between 2004 and 2010, with clinical and microbiological data collected prospectively. Conventional cultures and panbacterial PCR were performed on aqueous and vitreous samples.
Results: Clinical signs of endophthalmitis were observed soon after trauma (1.5 ± 2.5 days). Laceration with an intraocular foreign body (IOFB) was noted in 53% of the patients. At admission, all patients had aqueous humour (71%) and/or vitreous (53%) samples. Fifteen patients (88%) underwent a pars plana vitrectomy. Bacteria were identified in 77% of the cases: Staphylococcus epidermidis (n = 5), Streptococcus (n = 4), Bacillus (n = 2), Pseudomonas stuzeri (n = 1), and Streptococcus salivarius and Gemella haemolysans (multibacterial infection, n = 1). Progression toward phthisis was observed in 35% of the cases; 41% of the patients recuperated visual acuity (VA) ≥20/40. A good final visual prognosis (≥20/40) was significantly associated with initial VA better than light perception (0% versus 70%, p = 0.01) and absence of pupillary fibrin membrane (80% versus 20%, p = 0.05). There was no correlation between visual prognosis and age, the type of laceration (corneal or scleral) or presence of an IOFB. We found a statistical trend toward an association between bacterial virulence and poor final VA.
Conclusion: This series showed that better final VA outcomes were associated with initial VA better than light perception, S. epidermidis or culture-negative cases and absence of retinal detachment during the clinical course.
Keywords: Staphylococcus; endophthalmitis; intraocular foreign body; ocular trauma; pars plana vitrectomy; retinal detachment.
© 2012 The Authors. Acta Ophthalmologica © 2012 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation.