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Published on: November 6, 2019
Ocular surface complications in children undergoing general anaesthesia: A prospective observational study
Dalia El Hadi1, Stephanie Hoyeck2, Elza Rachid1
1Department of Ophthalmology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Insights
Postoperative ocular surface complications affect 36.1% of pediatric patients after general anesthesia. Younger age, longer surgeries, and head/neck procedures increase risks for these corneal abnormalities.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Corneal Surface Health
Background:
- Ophthalmic complications are common after general anesthesia but poorly documented in children.
- Incidence and risk factors for pediatric postoperative ocular surface issues require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of postoperative ocular surface complications in pediatric patients.
- To identify risk factors associated with these complications in a tertiary care setting.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 108 pediatric patients undergoing general anesthesia.
- Ophthalmological examination post-surgery assessing tear breakup time, punctate epithelial erosions, and corneal abrasions.
- Multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors.
Main Results:
- 36.1% of pediatric patients exhibited abnormal corneal findings post-surgery.
- Decreased tear breakup time (29.6%) and corneal abrasions (0.9%) were observed.
- Younger age, prolonged surgery duration, and head/neck procedures were linked to higher complication rates.
Conclusions:
- The incidence of postoperative corneal abnormalities in children under general anesthesia is 36.1%.
- Younger pediatric patients, longer operative times, and head/neck surgeries are significant risk factors.
Objective:
Ophthalmic complications frequently occur after procedures requiring general anaesthesia, but their incidence is widely variable and not well reported in the paediatric population. The aim was to identify the incidence and possible risk factors of postoperative ocular surface complications in a tertiary care centre.
Methods And Analysis:
This is a prospective study for paediatric patients undergoing general anaesthesia. An ophthalmologist performed the ocular examination after surgery. Parameters assessed were tear breakup time, punctate epithelial erosions and corneal abrasions. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess risk factors.
Results:
A total of 108 paediatric patients were recruited, 36.1% showed abnormal corneal finding: 32 (29.6%) had decreased tear breakup time, three (2.7%) had punctate epithelial erosions, three (2.7%) had both punctate epithelial erosions and decreased tear breakup time and one (0.9%) was found to have a unilateral corneal abrasion postoperatively. A higher rate of corneal complications was noted with younger age, prolonged surgery and surgery in the head and neck region.
Conclusion:
The rate of postoperative corneal abnormalities in children undergoing general anaesthesia was 36.1%, associated with younger age, prolonged surgery and surgery in the head and neck region.
