The Impact of Primary Treatment on Post-Traumatic Endophthalmitis in Children with Open Globe Injuries: A Study in China

Post-traumatic endophthalmitis (PTE) is considered as one of the most serious complications after open globe injuries (OGIs), especially in children. Poor prognosis of this disease can lead to a variety of socioeconomic problems. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of pediatric OGIs and the factors associated with the development of PTE in China. 131 patients under 14 years old and needed hospitalization for management of OGIs were enrolled. There were 90 males and 41 females. 44 patients were left-behind children, the majority were 3–6 years old (n = 71, 71/131, 54.2%) and living in rural area (n = 106, 106/131, 80.9%). After injury, 82 patients received primary repair within 24 h, with the remaining 49 patients receiving primary repair after 24 h. Eventually, there were 28 (28/131, 21.4%) patients presented with PTE. In those 49 patients, the frequency of PTE achieving 32.7% (16/49). Univariate analysis showed that the timing of primary repair is significantly associated with the development of PTE (p < 0.05). Moreover, left-behind children took higher risks in having delayed treatment that over 24 h after OGIs (OR = 2.466, 95% CI: 1.16–5.26). Reducing the time before primary repair is a useful strategy to prevent the development of PTE. Special supervision is needed for pre-school-aged boys living in rural areas, especially for left-behind children.