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Entonox as an analgesic agent during panretinal photocoagulation
H L Cook1, R S B Newsom, E Mensah
1Department of Ophthalmology, St Thomas's Hospital, London, UK. HelenLCook@aol.com
The British Journal of Ophthalmology
|September 18, 2002
Summary
Inhaled Entonox (a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen) effectively reduced pain during panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) for diabetic retinopathy. This safe analgesic option improves patient tolerance for the vision-saving PRP procedure.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Anesthesiology
- Diabetology
Background:
- Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) is crucial for managing proliferative diabetic retinopathy and preventing vision loss.
- Patient-reported pain during PRP can limit treatment tolerance and adherence.
- Effective analgesia is needed to improve the patient experience during PRP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of inhaled Entonox as an analgesic during PRP.
- To compare pain levels experienced by patients receiving Entonox versus air during PRP.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, crossover, double-masked pilot study was conducted.
- Patients inhaled either air or Entonox during sequential halves of the PRP procedure.
- Pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale and compared with a paired t-test.
Main Results:
- Twenty patients participated in the study.
- Mean pain scores were significantly lower with Entonox (2.94) compared to air (3.73) (p<0.03).
Conclusions:
- Inhaled Entonox is a safe and effective analgesic for patients undergoing PRP.
- Entonox can improve patient comfort and tolerance during this essential ophthalmic procedure.