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Local anaesthesia for 1221 vitreoretinal procedures.
R S Newsom1, A C Wainwright, C R Canning
1Southampton Eye Unit, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK. rbnewsom@dircon.co.uk
The British Journal of Ophthalmology
|February 13, 2001
Summary
Local anaesthesia (LA) is effective for vitreoretinal (VR) surgery, with 82% of patients receiving it. This approach is well-tolerated, even for longer, more complex ocular procedures.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Anesthesiology
Background:
- Vitreoretinal (VR) surgery is increasingly performed under local anaesthesia (LA).
- An audit was conducted to monitor this shift in anesthetic practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of local anaesthesia for VR surgery.
- To assess patient tolerance and outcomes during VR procedures under LA.
Main Methods:
- Data collected on 1497 patients undergoing VR surgery.
- Included anesthetic block type, volume, position, surgical procedure, complications, and patient reactions.
- Analysis of patient demographics and reported pain levels.
Main Results:
- 82% of patients (1221/1479) received local anaesthesia (LA).
- Patients receiving LA were older (63.5 years) than those under general anaesthesia (GA) (45.9 years).
- Pain was reported by 9.4% (vitrectomy), 8.8% (retinopexy), and 19.7% (buckling) of patients.
Conclusions:
- Local anaesthesia is well-tolerated for vitreoretinal surgery.
- LA proves effective even for extended and stimulating ocular surgeries.
- This supports the continued use of LA in VR surgical settings.