Intravitreal vancomycin and amikacin versus intravenous imipenem in the treatment of experimental Staphylococcus aureus endophthalmitis.

Background: Controversy still surrounds the intravenous (IV) treatment of endophthalmitis. The purpose of this study was to compare IV and intraocular (IO) treatment in experimental Staphylococcus aureus endophthalmitis: intravitreal injection of vancomycin and amikacin (VA/AN) in comparison with IV imipenem (IPM) and a combination of IV and IO (IV+IO) therapy.

Methods: The right eyes of 27 rabbits were injected with 25000 S.

Intravenous treatment of experimental Staphylococcus aureus endophthalmitis: imipenem versus the combination of ceftazidime and amikacin.

Background: To compare the efficacy of intravenous (IV) imipenem (IPM) and a combination of IV ceftazidime (CAZ) and amikacin (AN) in the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus endophthalmitis in a rabbit model.

Methods: Right eyes of 60 albino rabbits were injected with 1000 colony-forming units of S. aureus intravitreally.

RPE cell transplants to non-immune-privileged sites of the eye transform into fibroblast-like cells.

Purpose: In vitreoretinopathy membranes and in vitro, RPE cells lose pigment and transform into fibroblast-like cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the immune privileged status of different eye compartments influence morphological changes of adult RPE cell transplants.

Methods: RPE cells from adult C57BL/6 mice were transplanted either intravitreally (n = 31), subretinally (n = 28), intrachoroidally (n = 21) or subconjunctivally (n = 33) into one eye of BALB/c mice and intravitreally (n = 5) into rd-mice with loss of ACAID (14-16 months).

Intravenous imipenem prophylaxis in experimental endophthalmitis.

Purpose: To determine the effect of prophylactic intravenous imipenem on experimental Staphylococcus aureusendophthalmitis.

Methods: The right eyes of 36 New Zealand albino rabbits received an intraocular injection of 100, 1,000, or 10,000 colony-forming units (CFU) of S. aureus.

Rapid direct antibiotic susceptibility testing in endophthalmitis.

Objective: To compare a new rapid antibiotic susceptibility test (RAST) to the conventional method in patients with endophthalmitis.

Design: Prospective nonrandomized comparative trial.

Participants: Intraocular aspirates from 24 consecutive patients with endophthalmitis were tested.

Antibiotic resistance pattern and visual outcome in experimentally-induced Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis in a rabbit model.

Objective: To study whether the clinical outcome of Staphylococcus epidermidis-induced endophthalmitis in rabbits is related to the antibiotic resistance pattern of the infecting strain.

Design: Experimental animal study.

Participants: The right eyes of 36 New Zealand white albino rabbits were inoculated with strains of S.

[3-D ultrasound. Initial experiences in various eye diseases].

Background: Studies have confirmed three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound as a practical diagnostic tool in examining the eye and orbit and suggest its routine clinical use.

Materials And Methods: 3-D ultrasound was prospectively performed in 46 patients (46 eyes) with various ocular diseases. In six large choroidal melanomas the tumor volume were measured by 3-D ultrasound and compared to that measured by MRI and to that calculated by a theoretical formula.

[Sterilization of phacoemulsification and vitrectomy instruments. Contamination and evaluation].

Background: Contamination of automated surgical equipment is widely disregarded as a potential source of perioperative infection. We investigated the possibility of contamination of the aspiration fluid by the vacuum control manifold (VCM). The normal, unsterile internal VCM was compared with a modified external VCM that was regularly disinfected.

Growth of postnatal rat retina in vitro. Development of neurotransmitter systems.

In this study, we demonstrate that explanted neonatal rat retina can be maintained in culture for periods up to 3 weeks. The cultured retinas displayed a distinct layering that was almost identical to litter-matched retinas of the same age, but the majority of the ganglion cells did not survive and photoreceptor outer segments did not develop properly. Distinct synaptophysin immunoreactivity was expressed in both the inner and outer plexiform layers of cultured retina and the pattern mimicked that one observed in vivo.

Automated surgical equipment requires routine disinfection of vacuum control manifold to prevent postoperative endophthalmitis.

Purpose: Contamination of automated surgical equipment is a potential source of postoperative endophthalmitis. The effect of disinfecting the unsterile vacuum control manifold (VCM) on contamination of the aspiration fluid was studied.

Design: Comparative prospective microbiologic contamination study.

[Bacterial keratitis. Microbiological analysis as a principle for therapeutic recommendations].

Purpose: The study presented differentiates between the aetiological agents of bacterial keratitis in patients with and without a history of contact lens wear. Based on these results, recommendations are given for optimal antibiotic primary therapy.

Patients And Methods: Swabs and corneal scrapings were taken from 218 patients referred to the University Eye Hospital in Munich with a diagnosis of bacterial keratitis from 1989 to 1997.

[Bacterial keratitis in patients with and without contact lens anamnesis].

Background: The study shows differences between contact lens wearers and patients without history of contact lenses regarding the spectrum of etiological agents in bacterial keratitis. Based on microbiological analysis, there are given recommendations for an optimal initial antibiotic treatment in both groups.

Material And Methods: From 1989 to 1997 smears, scrapings and corneal biopsies were taken from 218 patients with bacterial keratitis.

CuZn superoxide dismutase transgenic retinal transplants.

Background: The morphology of retinal transplants is believed to depend on the extent of mechanical disruption of the donor tissue during the surgical procedure and on local factors of the host environment. We hypothesized that oxidative stress during donor tissue preparation and implantation further affects transplant development and investigated the effects of CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD) overexpression on the survival and morphological development of mouse embryonic retinal transplants.

Methods: Retinae and livers from embryonic day 14-15 SOD overexpressing transgenic mice and CBA control mice were harvested under sterile conditions.

[Choroid neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration. Correlation of histological and fluorescence angiography findings].

Background: Recent studies have raised confusion about the fluorescein angiographical and histopathological correlation of CNV.

Material And Methods: The preoperative fluorescein angiograms of four patients with subfoveal CNV due to ARMD extracted by pars plana vitrectomy were classified as wellor ill-defined CNV and were correlated to the histopathologically (in serial sections) verrified CNV-location (subneuroretinal (= type II according to Gass) versus sub-RPE (type I according to Gass)).

Results: The locations of all four CNV could be classified by histopathological landmarks as there were RPE, BLD/drusen, and inner Bruchs membrane.

[Coagulase-negative staphylococci in normal and chronically inflamed conjunctiva].

Unlabelled: This study examines the prevalence of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species in normal and mildly inflamed conjunctiva, their sensitivity to antibiotics, and their relationship to the remaining flora.

Patients And Methods: In 99 patients including 9 HIV-positives in an early stage of the infection, 100 conjunctival swabs were taken and microbiologically investigated for bacteria and fungi. Thirty-four were from healthy eyes.

[No detection of mycoplasma in 205 conjunctival swabs].

Mycoplasma is known to cause pulmonary and urogenital infections in humans. A pathogenicity for the human eye never has been assessed, although they have been observed in the peripheral eye in a few cases of acute and non-specific conjunctivitis, in patients with Reiter's disease and in newborns. Due to the absence of cell walls, mycoplasma is only sensitive to a few antibiotics.