PURPOSE: To evaluate bacterial anterior chamber contamination following uncomplicated phacoemulsification with differents sizes of incisions. METHODS: Prospective randomized study, 80 eyes, 80 patients divided into two groups, were submitted to phacoemulsification with topical anaesthesia. In group A, with 40 patients, surgery was perfomed with 3.0 mm incision and silicone intraocular lens implant with injector. In group B the surgery was done with 5.8 mm incision and polymethylmethacrylate intraocular lens implant with forceps. Anterior chamber aspirate was taken for culture upon completion of surgery in each case. RESULTS: Anterior chamber cultures were positive in 2.5% of the cases in group A, and 5.0% in group B (chi-square test = 0.380, p>0.05), frequencies of contamination were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: Intraocular lens implant through a smaller incision did not decrease anterior chamber contamination in phacoemulsification.
Cataract extraction; Phacoemulsification; Lens implantation, intraocular; Anterior chamber; Polymethylmethacrylate; Eye infections, bacterial
