Other advances in chorio-retinal surgery. A comparative study of sponge infections.

During a period of seven years out of 900 explant operations done in New York 31 sponges had to be removed. In Bonn during the same period a comparable 27 explants out of 1000 operations had to be removed. Clinical infection occurred as early as one week and as late as seven years after the operation. The infection of the sponge manifested as: fistula, granuloma or a subconjunctival haemorrhagic mass. 2/3 of the infections were due to staphylococcus epidermis which acts as a pathogen in the presence of a foreign body. Bonn's requirement of a sterile conjunctiva preoperatively and the use of prophylactic antibiotics postoperatively did not significantly reduce the rate of infection.