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Topical anesthesia using lidocaine gel for cataract surgery
E I Assia1, E Pras, M Yehezkel
1Department of Ophthalmology, Meir Hospital, Sapir Medical Center, Kfar-Saba, Israel.
Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
|May 20, 1999
Summary
Topical lidocaine 2% gel provides safe and effective anesthesia for cataract surgery, particularly phacoemulsification. This method offers excellent pain control and lubrication, enhancing the surgical experience.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Anesthesiology
Background:
- Cataract surgery necessitates effective anesthesia for patient comfort and procedural success.
- Topical anesthetic agents are commonly employed, but their efficacy can vary.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of lidocaine 2% gel as a sole topical anesthetic in cataract surgery.
- To assess patient-reported pain levels during manual extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and phacoemulsification procedures.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 100 cataract surgeries (48 ECCE, 52 phacoemulsification) using lidocaine 2% gel.
- Lidocaine gel was applied multiple times pre-operatively; pain was assessed using a 0-10 scale.
- Intraoperative and postoperative data were collected.
Main Results:
- A significant majority of patients reported no pain: 62% in ECCE and 74% in phacoemulsification.
- Mean pain scores were low (0.99 for ECCE, 0.72 for phacoemulsification).
- Only 3 ECCE patients required supplemental anesthesia, while none needed it in the phacoemulsification group.
Conclusions:
- Lidocaine 2% gel is a safe and highly effective topical anesthetic for cataract surgery.
- It is particularly beneficial for clear corneal phacoemulsification, offering superior pain management.
- The gel's lubricating properties also contribute to smoother surgical procedures.