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Topical versus sub-Tenon's anesthesia without sedation in cataract surgery
P Zafirakis1, A Voudouri, S Rowe
1Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital of Athens, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. zafiraki@hol.gr
Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
|June 16, 2001
Summary
Topical anesthesia for cataract surgery caused more discomfort than sub-Tenon's anesthesia, but had fewer complications. Both methods offered effective pain control without sedation.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Anesthesiology
- Surgical Innovation
Background:
- Cataract surgery is a common procedure requiring effective anesthesia.
- Choosing the right anesthesia impacts patient comfort and surgical outcomes.
- Topical and sub-Tenon's anesthesia are common methods for ophthalmic procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare pain control between topical anesthesia and sub-Tenon's anesthesia.
- To evaluate patient-reported pain during and after clear corneal phacoemulsification cataract surgery.
- To assess surgical complications associated with each anesthesia type.
Main Methods:
- Prospective randomized study of 100 patients undergoing bilateral cataract surgery.
- Each patient received both topical and sub-Tenon's anesthesia for different eyes.
- Pain was assessed using a 10-point scale at multiple time points.
- Surgeon's assessment of surgical ease and complications was recorded.
Main Results:
- Topical anesthesia had significantly higher pain scores during anesthetic administration (P <.001).
- Sub-Tenon's anesthesia resulted in less intraoperative and postoperative discomfort (P <.001).
- Topical anesthesia group experienced significantly fewer complications (P <.001).
Conclusions:
- Sub-Tenon's anesthesia provides superior pain control during cataract surgery compared to topical anesthesia.
- Topical anesthesia offers a lower risk of surgical complications.
- Both anesthesia techniques are effective for pain management in cataract surgery.
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