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Eye bank and theatre factors for positive microbiological culture of corneoscleral rim and cornea storage medium in the real-world

Eye volume 35, pages 3087–3093 (2021)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate microbiological culture rate and positivity of corneoscleral rim and cornea storage media as well as possible risk factors for contamination with real-world data.

Methods

Data of consecutive cornea donors implanted in the reference centre from January 2013 to January 2018 were reviewed. Information about cornea characteristics (donor demographic data, endothelial cell density, type of cornea conservation, days of storage, and precut vs full-thickness tissue), and microbiological culture information (corneoscleral rim vs storage sample, positive result) were statistically analysed.

Results

During the study period, 1369 corneas (737 donors) were implanted. Cultures were performed in 76.8% (n = 1052) of them and were positive in 3.2% of cases, mainly bacteria (84.4%). Corneas preserved in hypothermia represented 61.8% of all positive microbiology results (p < 0.001). Other analysed risk factors did not reach statistically significant association with microbiological positivity. None of the 34 cases with positive microbiological cultures reported ocular infection for the recipients in at least 6 months’ follow-up.

Conclusions

Microbiological tests rate in real-world practice are high despite not being compulsory. Organotypic cultured corneas showed a statistically less positivity in corneoscleral and storage medium than hypothermic ones, resulting in another advantage of this kind of cornea storage. Although precut corneas are thought to present less microbiological positivity, a statistically significant association was not found in the present study.

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Fig. 1: Flowchart of the study design (real-world data).

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Funding

No government or non-government funds were granted for this research study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Noelia Sabater-Cruz, Marina Dotti-Boada, José Ríos & Ricardo P. Casaroli-Marano

  2. Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Noelia Sabater-Cruz & Ricardo P. Casaroli-Marano

  3. Barcelona Tissue Bank (BST-BTB), Barcelona, Spain

    Nausica Otero, Ana Vilarrodona & Ricardo P. Casaroli-Marano

  4. Medical Statistics Core Facility (IDIBAPS) and Biostatistics Unit, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    José Ríos

  5. Instituto de Microcirugía Ocular (IMO), Barcelona, Spain

    Oscar Gris & José L. Güell

Authors
  1. Noelia Sabater-Cruz
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  3. Marina Dotti-Boada
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Correspondence to Noelia Sabater-Cruz.

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Sabater-Cruz, N., Otero, N., Dotti-Boada, M. et al. Eye bank and theatre factors for positive microbiological culture of corneoscleral rim and cornea storage medium in the real-world. Eye 35, 3087–3093 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-020-01342-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-020-01342-8

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