Comparing Different Decontamination Procedures in Harvesting Human Donor Cornea. (1st September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Laubichler*, Peter; Arend*, Nicole; Vounotrypidis, Efstathios; Wertheimer, Christian; Mayer, Wolfgang J.; Yu, Alice L.; Remy, Matthias; de Kaspar, Herminia Minõ; Kampik, Anselm; Kook, Daniel
• Is Part Of: Current eye research. Volume 41:Number 9(2016:Sep.)
• Page Start: 1173
• Page End: 1177
• Publication Date: 2016-09-01
• Subjects: Corneal transplantation -- decontamination -- enucleation -- eye bank -- povidone iodine; Ophthalmology -- Periodicals; Eye -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Ophthalmology -- Periodicals; 573.88
• DOI: 10.3109/02713683.2015.1101773
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0271-3683

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Purpose : To evaluate the effects of current hygiene standards for the enucleation of postmortem eyes by investigating the number of microorganisms during subsequent steps of decontamination and tissue processing. Materials and methods : This prospective, non-randomized cohort study includes 184 postmortem eyes of 92 human donors. Enucleation was performed, according to an ophthalmic surgical procedure. Two groups were generated as follows: right eyes were allocated to group A, left eyes were allocated to group B. In group A, a mucosal disinfectant was used accessorily. Conjunctival smears were taken to examine germ load in both groups before any intervention, in group A after mucosal disinfection, in both groups after transportation of the whole globes in transport fluid, and in both groups after a bath in 0.75% povidone iodine solution for at least 3 minutes just before preparation of the corneoscleral disc. Smears were sent to the local microbiologic laboratory in an aseptic package for testing. Results : All smears showed multiple contaminations ( n = 184/184 eyes) before treatment with povidone iodine solution. Contamination was in both groups significantly prevented using the treatment strategy of an at least 3-minute bath in 0.75% povidone iodine solution ( n = 1/184 eyes; p < 0.01) As a side effect, almost every eye of group A and none of group B showed brown iodine staining corresponding to corneal epithelial erosion. Conclusions : An aseptic setting for donor enucleation similar to a surgical procedure seems not to influence the outcome of germ colonization. The most effective step to decontaminate donor eyes is to use 0.75% povidone iodine solution for at least 3 minutes.