Randomized controlled trial on the safety of intracameral cephalosporins in cataract surgery.

Author(s): Lam PT, Young AL, Cheng LL, Tam PM, Lee VY

Affiliation(s): Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Publication date & source: 2010-12-08, Clin Ophthalmol., 4:1499-504.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the safety profiles of intracameral cephalosporins in cataract surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this controlled trial, 129 patients were randomized to one of four groups to receive 1 mg of one of three cephalosporins - cefazolin, cefuroxime, or ceftazidime, or normal saline - given intracamerally during cataract surgery. Central endothelial cell density (ECD) and retinal center point thickness (CPT) were determined by specular microscopy and ocular coherence tomography, respectively, before and at 3 months after surgery. RESULTS: There were no statistical significant differences in the changes of ECD and CPT between eyes receiving intracameral cephalosporin and control. CONCLUSION: The use of intracameral cefazolin, cefuroxime, or ceftazidime (1 mg in 0.1-mL solution) at the time of cataract surgery had no significant effect on ECD and CPT postoperatively.