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Aim: This is the first overview of practice patterns in endophthalmitis prevention after cataract surgery in Poland., Material and Methods: The study is based on a survey carried out in 33 centres performing cataract surgery in two provinces of Poland (a total of 8.8 million inhabitants, i.e. 23% of the entire country population). Approximately 39.000 cataract surgery procedures are performed in these regions annually, i.e. 20% of all cataract surgery procedures in Poland. The questionnaire-based survey focused on the following aspects: duration of preoperative antibiotic treatment, type of antiseptics, intraoperative administration of antibiotics and duration of postoperative antibiotic treatment., Results: All surveyed centres use povidone-iodine as antiseptic on the periocular skin and conjunctival sac, and perioperative topical antibiotics are adopted by most. Intracameral cefuroxime is increasingly used in endophthalmitis prevention., Conclusion: The methods of endophthalmitis prevention vary widely between ophthalmology departments and clinics in Poland, there is no scientific rationale for most preventive measures used and a further debate is needed among Polish ophthalmic surgeons on optimal practice patterns.

The purpose of our study was to compare the incidence of intrabulbar infections following cataract extraction and its correlation with the results of preoperative bacterial cultures. We examined 2344 patients who were operated on from 1st January 1993 to 31st December 1994 in our hospital. Patients were divided into 3 groups. In the first group surgery, was performed only in cases where preoperative cultures were negative, in the second group conjunctival cultures were prepared just before surgery. In the third group no preoperative cultures were prepared. Additionally in the second and the third group one drop of 5% Betadine solution was administered to the conjunctival sack just before surgery. We conclude that negative preoperative conjunctival cultures did not prevent from postoperative infections of the eye. After resigning of preoperative bacterial cultures the incidence of intrabulbar infections following cataract surgery did not increase in our study.

12.5% solution of betadine is used for conjunctival sac antiseptics. To estimate effectiveness of betadine in 50 eyes, bacteriological examination was performed before and after local betadine application. Betadine is effective against Staphylococcus. Peptococcaceae were cultured after betadine application, in 3 cases.