Efficacy and Safety of Prophylactic Intracameral Gatifloxacin Injection in Cataract Surgery: 1 Year Results

Abstract

INTRODUCTION[|]The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness and safety of an intracameral injection of gatifloxacin with cefuroxime as prophylaxis for endophthalmitis in cataract surgery.[¤]METHODS[|]In this retrospective comparative case series, 41 eyes of 33 patients were separated into 2 groups. In the first group, an intracameral injection of cefuroxime (1 mg/0.1mL) was administered to 18 eyes, and an intracameral injection of gatifloxacin (0.3 mg/0.1 mL) was administered to 23 eyes in the second group. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), endothelial cell density (CD), endothelial cell coefficient of variation (CV), and central macular thickness (CMT) were evaluated at baseline and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.[¤]RESULTS[|]No instance of acute/chronic endophthalmitis, cystoid macular edema, or bullous keratopathy was seen in any patient at the end of 1 year of follow-up. At postoperative month 1, a statistically significant increase in BCVA was seen in both groups, as well as a decrease in CD, and a statistically insignificant increase in CMT. However, the 2 groups were found statistically similar in terms of BCVA, CD, CV, and CMT values obtained in subsequent follow-ups (p>0.05).[¤]DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION[|]VA, CMT, and endothelial cell changes were similar in both the cefuroxime group and the gatifloxacin group. Intracameral administration of 0.3 mg/0.1 mL gatifloxacin or 1 mg/0.1mL cefuroxime is effective and safe as endophthalmitis prophylaxis, given the statistically and clinically insignificant increase in CMT seen in both groups at the postoperative first month.[¤]

Keywords

• cataract
• cefuroxime
• endophthalmitis; gatifloxacin; intracameral; prophylaxis.