Subconjunctival bupivacaine in strabismus surgery

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Anesthesiology
• Pediatric Surgery

Background:

• Strabismus surgery in children often involves significant post-operative pain.
• Effective pain management is crucial for patient comfort and recovery after ocular procedures.
• Current pain relief methods may have limitations or side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of subconjunctival bupivacaine for post-operative pain management in pediatric strabismus surgery.
• To compare pain scores between children receiving bupivacaine and those receiving a saline placebo.
• To determine if subconjunctival bupivacaine can enhance post-operative comfort and facilitate day case surgery.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized study involving 36 pediatric patients undergoing strabismus surgery.
• Patients were allocated to receive either subconjunctival bupivacaine or normal saline at the end of the procedure.
• Post-operative pain was assessed using a standardized 4-point pain score.

Main Results:

• Subconjunctival bupivacaine administration resulted in significantly lower post-operative pain scores compared to the saline group (P < 0.001).
• The bupivacaine group experienced demonstrably better pain relief.
• No adverse events related to the subconjunctival injection were reported.

Conclusions:

• Subconjunctival bupivacaine is an effective method for reducing post-operative pain following strabismus surgery in children.
• Routine use of subconjunctival bupivacaine can improve patient comfort and support the feasibility of day case surgery.
• This approach offers a promising strategy for enhanced pediatric ophthalmic surgical care.