Purpose To determine whether four new operating room (OR) protocols instituted because of COVID-19 reduced the cataract surgical postoperative endophthalmitis rate (POE). Design Retrospective, sequential, clinical registry study. Methods 85 552 sequential patients undergoing cataract surgery at the Aravind Eye Hospitals between 1 January 2020 and 25 March 2020 (56 551 in group 1) and 3 May 2020 and 31 August 2020 (29 011 in group 2). In group 1, patients were not gowned, surgical gloves were disinfected but not changed between cases, OR floors were not cleaned between every case, and multiple patients underwent preparation and surgery in the same OR. In group 2, each patient was gowned, surgical gloves were changed between each case, OR floors and counters were cleaned between patients, and only one patient at a time underwent preparation and surgery in the OR. Results Group 1 was older, had slightly more females, and better preoperative vision. More eyes in group 2 underwent phacoemulsification (p=0.18). Three eyes (0.005%) in group 1 and 2 eyes (0.006%) in group 2 developed POE (p=0.77). Only one eye that underwent phacoemulsification developed POE; this was in group 1. There was no difference in posterior capsule rupture rate between the two groups. Conclusions Adopting a set of four temporary OR protocols that are often mandatory in the Western world did not reduce the POE rate. Along with previously published studies, these results challenge the necessity of these common practices which may be needlessly costly and wasteful, arguing for the reevaluation of empiric and potentially unnecessary guidelines that govern ophthalmic surgeries. Data are available on reasonable request. Not applicable.

中文翻译：

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改变手术室做法：对白内障手术后眼内炎发生率的影响

目的 确定因 COVID-19 而制定的四种新手术室 (OR) 方案是否降低了白内障手术术后眼内炎发生率 (POE)。设计回顾性、连续性、临床注册研究。方法 2020 年 1 月 1 日至 2020 年 3 月 25 日（第 1 组 56 551 人）以及 2020 年 5 月 3 日和 2020 年 8 月 31 日（第 2 组 29 011 人）在 Aravind 眼科医院接受白内障手术的 85 552 名连续患者。在第 1 组中，患者没有穿长袍，手术手套经过消毒但在病例之间没有更换，OR 地板在每个病例之间没有清洁，并且多名患者在同一个 OR 中进行了准备和手术。在第 2 组中，每个患者都穿上长袍，在每个病例之间更换手术手套，在患者之间清洁手术室地板和柜台，一次只有一名患者在手术室接受准备和手术。结果 第 1 组年龄较大，女性略多，术前视力较好。第 2 组中更多的眼睛接受了超声乳化术 (p=0.18)。第 1 组的三只眼 (0.005%) 和第 2 组的两只眼 (0.006%) 出现 POE (p=0.77)。只有一只接受了超声乳化术的眼睛出现了 POE；这是在第 1 组中。两组之间的后囊膜破裂率没有差异。结论 采用一套在西方世界通常是强制性的四个临时 OR 协议并没有降低 POE 率。与先前发表的研究一起，这些结果挑战了这些可能不必要地昂贵和浪费的常见做法的必要性，主张重新评估管理眼科手术的经验性指南和可能不必要的指南。可应合理要求提供数据。不适用。