UTILIZATION OF DONOR CORNEAL RIM CULTURE IN CORNEAL TRANSPLANT PATIENTS IN TERTIARY CARE CENTRE, WESTERN INDIA

K.P. MODI¹*, M.M. VEGAD², S.T. SONI³, S.M. MURAWALA⁴, M. TRIVEDI⁵, N. AGGARWAL^6
1Department of Microbiology, B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad-380016, Gujarat, India
²Department of Microbiology, B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad-380016, Gujarat, India
³Department of Microbiology, B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad-380016, Gujarat, India
⁴Department of Microbiology, B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad-380016, Gujarat, India
⁵Department of Microbiology, B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad-380016, Gujarat, India
⁶Department of Microbiology, B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad-380016, Gujarat, India
* Corresponding Author : kairvi29490@gmail.com

Received : 23-08-2015     Accepted : 04-10-2015     Published : 15-11-2015
Volume : 7     Issue : 5       Pages : 676 - 678
Int J Microbiol Res 7.5 (2015):676-678

Keywords : Keratoplasty, Donor cornea, Corneoscleral rim, Endophthalmitis
Academic Editor : Dr K. Indra Priyadharshini, Dr. Arun M. Kumar, Vinayak G Wagaskar, Dr Anshul Sawhney
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : None declared

Background- The most serious complication occurring after keratoplasty is post-operative ocular infection due to contamination of the donor corneal button before transplantation leading to loss of vision and transplantation failure. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the utility of the donor corneoscleral rim culture and their relationship with post-operative endophthalmitis. Materials and Methods- We analysed 50 consecutive penetrating keratoplasties (PK) to determine the frequency of positive donor rim cultures. Donated eyes were collected by using aseptic precautions and after transplanting the cornea, corneoscleral rim of donor was cultured for the isolation of bacteria. Results- In the present study, 28% corneoscleral rim cultures yielded microorganisms, mostly gram-negative bacilli. We isolated Acinetobacter spp. 14%, Psedononas aerugenosa 8%, Enterococcus faecium 2%, Providencia spp. 2%, Candida spp. 2% in donor rim culture. Conclusion- We concluded that it is essential to perform donor corneoscleral rim cultures in patients undergoing corneal transplantation to prevent complications like post-transplant endophthalmitis and corneal ulcer which leads to graft failure. In culture positive isolates we can change from empirical treatment to specific drugs as per antibiotic susceptibility report of donor rim culture.