Assisted local anesthesia for powered endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Otorhinolaryngology
• Surgical Anesthesia

Background:

• Assisted local anaesthetic (aLA) is a recognized method for dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR).
• The tolerability of aLA specifically with powered burrs in powered endoscopic DCR (PEDCR) remains less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the patient acceptability and tolerability of aLA during PEDCR.
• To assess pain levels and willingness for repeat procedures under aLA.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, interventional study involving a single surgeon.
• 44 PEDCR procedures were performed on 42 patients using aLA.
• Tolerability was measured using a 100-point visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and patient willingness for repeat procedures.

Main Results:

• The majority of patients experienced minimal intraoperative pain, with 56% reporting a VAS of 0 and 88.6% reporting less than 20.
• Nearly all patients (97.7%) expressed willingness to undergo aLA-PEDCR again.
• One patient declined a repeat procedure due to intolerance to drilling sounds, not pain.

Conclusions:

• PEDCR performed with assisted local anaesthetic is a well-tolerated and highly acceptable procedure for patients.
• aLA is a viable and safe anaesthetic option for PEDCR, ensuring patient comfort and satisfaction.