A comparison of etidocaine and lidocaine for retrobulbar anesthesia

In this double-blind study of retrobulbar block for cataract surgery, 62 patients scheduled for cataract surgery were randomly assigned to treatment with either (1) lidocaine 2% with epinephrine 1:200,000 (21 patients); (2) etidocaine 1% plain (20 patients); or (3) etidocaine 1% with epinephrine 1:200,000 (21 patients). The time of onset of sensory and motor block after administration of the three drugs was the same. The duration of motor nerve block produced by etidocaine plain and by etidocaine with epinephrine was considerably longer than that produced by lidocaine with epinephrine, and fewer patients reported postoperative pain after either etidocaine plain or etidocaine with epinephrine than after lidocaine with epinephrine.