Patient has since passed away. Discussion Work-up and management of endophthalmitis and septicemia are summarized in the following text and tables. All patients suspected of an endogenous endophthalmitis require a blood culture to determine the causative agent. Because of serious complications , systemic intravenous antibiotics should be administered prophylacticly, based on the history available. Once the infectious agent is determined, the antibiotic treatment may be adjusted and should be maintained for 2-4 weeks.
Debate occurs with the use and timing of a vitrectomy and the use of intravitreal antibiotics.
The endophthalmitis vitrectomy study was an extensive study design to determine the benefit of vitrectomy and systemic antibiotics with an exogenous endophthalmitis. It did not consider an endogenous endophthalmitis. 9 Controversy exits over the benefit of a vitrectomy combined with the use of intraocular antibiotics . Due to the poor prognosis of posteriorly located infections, most authors suggest all effort should be attempted to control the infection. A vitrectomy would allow removal of the bacteria and toxins, better distribution of the antibiotic, clearing of opacities and provide an additional culture.