PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - R S B Newsom
AU  - A C Wainwright
AU  - C R Canning
TI  - Local anaesthesia for 1221 vitreoretinal procedures
AID  - 10.1136/bjo.85.2.225
DP  - 2001 Feb 01
TA  - British Journal of Ophthalmology
PG  - 225--227
VI  - 85
IP  - 2
4099  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/85/2/225.short
4100  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/85/2/225.full
SO  - Br J Ophthalmol2001 Feb 01; 85
AB  - BACKGROUND Vitreoretinal (VR) surgery has been increasingly performed under local anaesthesia (LA) in this unit. The results of an audit monitoring this change are presented. METHODS Data were collected on 1497 patients including type, volume, and position of the anaesthetic block, type of surgery, complications, and patient reactions. RESULTS 1221/1479 (82%) patients had LA. They were older than those having general anaesthesia (GA) 63.5 years v 45.9 years; 146 (10.6%) blocks were intracone, 130 (10.6%) peribulbar, and 927 (75.9%) combined. Operations included 436 vitrectomies, 545 retinopexy with or without vitrectomy, and 238 buckling procedures. Some pain was felt by 9.4%, 8.8%, and 19.7% of patients during vitrectomy, retinopexy with or without vitrectomy, and buckling surgery respectively. CONCLUSION Local anaesthesia for VR surgery is well tolerated by patients, being effective throughout longer and more stimulating ocular surgery.