PubMed2001
BACKGROUND: Microbiological examinations in eye banks have found an increased contamination rate in preservation media. We studied the effect of prolonged submersion time for decontaminating donor globes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the primary contamination of conjunctival smears in 76 cornea donors. The submersion time of donor eyes in PVP iodine solution before preparation was prolonged from 1 min to 5 min, and the contamination rate of storage vessels was compared. RESULTS: In 13 of the 76 conjunctival smears we found no contamination. Before prolonging submersion time, the preservation medium was contaminated in 15 cases, but after 5 min no contamination was observed. CONCLUSION: Prolonging the submersion time of donor globes from 1 to 5 min was effective. The model presented here provides guidelines for existing eye banks as well as for those yet to be established.