Objective:

Identify the incidence of post-keratoplasty endophthalmitis in the population and its possible risk factors.

Methods:

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Ramón Pando Ferrer Cuban Institute of Ophthalmology in the period 2010-2015. The variables analyzed were age, sex, preoperative diagnosis, keratoplasty-related procedures, time of symptom onset, germs isolated in cultures and therapeutic alternatives implemented.

Results:

A total 1 442 keratoplasties were performed; 0.41% of the cases (6 cases, 6 eyes) presented post-keratoplasty endophthalmitis. The most common reason for keratoplasty among these patients was pseudophakic bullous and phakic keratopathy. 33.3% had undergone combined keratoplasty-cataract surgery. Of the patients with post-keratoplasty endophthalmitis, 66.7% were aged over 60 years and male. Of the germs isolated, 50.0% were gram-positive. 100.0% of the patients received intravitreal antibiotics, and only 33.3% of them underwent early vitrectomy.

Conclusions:

Close communication is indispensable between the eye bank, microbiologists and ophthalmologists to contribute to identification and elimination of risk factors, as well as early detection and appropriate therapeutic selection to facilitate prevention and obtain the best visual functional result in sufferers of this devastating complication.

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