Amikacin treatment of Pseudomonas-caused corneal ulcer

K. D. Hansen and R. F. Meyer

A Pseudomonas-caused corneal ulcer developed in a 44-year-old man with severe facial and upper torso thermal burns while in the hospital burn unit. The infecting strain was resistant to most antibiotics, including gentamicin sulfate and tobramycin sulfate. Treatment with topical and parenteral amikacin sulfate resulted in rapid healing. To our knowledge, there have been no reports of the use of amikacin for corneal ulcer. The successful healing in this case suggests that the use of amikacin should be considered in the treatment of corneal ulceration when it is suspected that the pathogen is a Pseudomonas strain resistant to gentamicin and other commonly used antibiotics.