Propionibacterium acnes endophthalmitis following transplantation of contaminated Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty graft

Abstract

Purpose: To report the clinical outcomes of a case of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) endophthalmitis following Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) surgery. Observations: Transplantation of non-sterile DMEK tissue led to development of a retrolenticular white plaque confirmed through PCR testing to be the result of P. acnes endophthalmitis. Intraocular antimicrobial therapy, surgical scraping of the white plaque, and repeat DMEK tissue transplantation resulted in an excellent visual outcome (20/20). Conclusion: This is the first reported case of P. acnes endophthalmitis following DMEK surgery. Re-transplantation may be a viable option for DMEK patients who experience post-operative endophthalmitis.

Keywords

• DMEK
• Propionibacterium acnes
• Endophthalmitis