Purpose: To determine the effect on human aqueous humor cultures of topical gatifloxacin 0.3% applied four times a day three days before phacoemulsification compared to topical gatifloxaxin 0.3% applied and same-day surgery. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with cataract without other ocular diseases were randomly assigned to Groups A and B before phacoemulsification. Group A received topical gatifloxacin 0.3% same-day surgery and Group B received gatifloxacin 0.3% four times a day three days before phacoemulsification. After the procedure the aqueous humor was aspirated for cultures on agar-blood, agar-chocolate, saboraud and TSB and smeared for bacterioscopy. RESULTS: Group A presented 40% of the bacterioscopies with cocci gram +, Group B presented 17.6% of the bacterioscopies with cocci gram +. These results are not statistically significant (p=0,098). Five cases (25%) from Group A presented positive cultures for S. epidermidis, which was significantly higher than Group B, which did not present positive cultures for any bacteria or fungus (p=0,027). CONCLUSION: Gatifloxacin 0.3% applied three days before phacoemulsification significantly lowered the rate of positive aqueous humor cultures when compared to immediate application of this antibiotic before surgery in this study.
Antibacterial agents; Phacoemulsification; Bacteria
