The Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study

Abstract

Congratulations to the EVS Group for an excellent study 1 with valuable and immediately clinically relevant conclusions. Working as I do in a sparsely populated area where referral distances can be long and time can easily be prolonged beyond the 6-hour limit used in this study, a question arises that can be answered by the data, but was not presented in the publication. In the vitreous tap or biopsy (hereafter TAP group) group, the choice of trans—pars plana vitreous needle aspiration or vitreous biopsy with a vitreous cutter was left to the surgeon. In the event that needle aspiration failed to yield adequate vitreous material, a vitreous biopsy could be performed. What proportion of the TAP group samples were obtained by each method? In my setting, since the differences between in-office needle aspiration by the referring physician and vitreous biopsy with a vitreous cutter can mean hours in delay, these