Bacterial contamination in the anterior chamber during phacoemulsification cataract surgery

The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of bacterial contamination of the anterior chamber during phacoemulsification cataract surgery and intraocular lens (iol) implantation. in this prospective study, 33 eyes of 33 patients who have undergone phacoemulsification cataract surgery and iol implantation after 5% povidin iodine administration. none of the patients received preoperative antibiotics. two intraoperative anterior chamber aspirates were obtained from each patient with a 26g injector taken at the beginning and at the end of the surgery. additionally, preoperative and postoperative conjunctival swabs were taken. these four specimens were cultured in aerob and anaerob conditions. thirty percent of the preoperative and 3% of the postoperative conjunctival swabs were positive, mostly for staphylococcus aureus. the incidence of postoperative conjunctival contamination is signficantly less than preoperative conjunctival contamination (p<0,001). intraoperative anterior chamber contamination was not found. none of the patients revealed postoperative complications including endopthalmitis. bacterial contamination of the anterior chamber during uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery and iol implantation was not found. additionally, being as the primary source of infection; administration of povidine iodine to conjunctiva, fornices, eyelids and periorbital area reduces the preoperative bacterial load significantly compared to the preoperative condition.