Jaipur: Culture reports confirmed that five patients shifted to SMS Hospital, Jaipur, after cataract surgery at Kuchaman govt hospital have tested positive for serious postoperative eye infections caused by Enterobacter bacteria.
In one patient, doctors found a mixed infection involving Enterobacter and Pseudomonas. Both bacteria can cause severe wound and surgical infections, particularly when the tissue is damaged or immunity is weak. Such infections are also difficult to treat because many strains resist commonly used antibiotics.
Doctors at SMS Hospital changed the treatment plan after reviewing the culture reports. They said some medicines prescribed on the first day were working, while additional antibiotics targeting Enterobacter and Pseudomonas have now been added. Drugs found ineffective have been stopped.
SMS Hospital’s head of ophthalmology, Dr Nagendra Singh Shekhawat, said vision in two patients has improved, while the infection in the other patients has been controlled.
“In all cases, the bacteria infiltrated the cornea, causing it to turn opaque in all operated eyes, and the patients are unable to see. Two patients have shown signs of improvement in their vision. The condition of all the patients is improving. Infection is under control now,” Dr Shekhawat said.
Doctors said Enterobacter and Pseudomonas infections after cataract surgery are uncommon but serious. Bacteria can enter the eye during or after surgery through an incision, contaminated surgical instruments, eye drops, fluids or poor wound healing.
In all five patients, symptoms appeared within a day of surgery. Symptoms included severe eye pain, swelling, discharge, whitening of the eye and vision loss.
A committee has been formed to investigate the source of infection. Since all five surgeries were performed in the same operation theatre (OT) at Kuchaman govt hospital, officials suspect the source may be linked to the OT.
Samples from surgical instruments, medicines, fluids and the operation theatre have been collected and sent for testing to JLN Medical College, Ajmer, and SMS Medical College, Jaipur.
“The report may take 21 days. The OT was closed on July 30 and will remain shut until reports arrive and the committee approves reopening,” said Dr Balveer Dhaka, principal medical officer, Kuchaman govt hospital.
Seven patients underwent cataract surgery at the hospital on July 28. Five developed complications, while two have not reported infection.
The affected patients have been identified as Ghasiram (64), Hiraram (73), Gokul (70), Meera Devi (58), and Narayani (67). They returned on July 29 with intense pain, swelling and whitening of the operated eyes and were later shifted to SMS Hospital, where emergency surgery was performed on July 31 to prevent permanent vision loss.
Source : The Times of India
