Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose:To compare pain sensation between retrobulbar and intracamerular anesthesia, and to identify the presence or not of secondary intraocular effects with preservative-free lidocaine 1%. Methods:Prospective, transversal, comparative and observational study involving patients in which cataract surgery was performed by phacoemulsification (Alcon, Legacy) and were anesthesied either by retrobulbar or intracamerular anesthesia from March to October 2001. A visual pain analogue scale was used to assess the degree of pain during administration of anesthesia and during surgery in mild, moderate and severe; also, complications and corneal endothelium evolution were recorded. Results:Twenty two patients were studied and were stratified into two groups: 15 patients in the retrobulbar group (Group 1) and 7 patients in the intracamerular group (Group 2). In group one; 8 patients reported mild pain and 7 moderate pain, complications included 4 cases of chemosis, 2 cases of subconjuntival hemorrage and 2 cases of posterior capsule rupture with vitreous loss. Group two reported 5 patients with mild pain and 2 with moderate pain. Complications included 2 cases of pupilar miosis. Specular microscopy results reported a cellular lost of 12% in group 1 and 15% in group 2. Conclusion:Intracamerular anesthesia provides good analgesia in phacoemulsification surgery and diminish secondary effects caused by other types of local anesthesia. Cellular endothelial loss was related with the surgical procedure and not with the intracamerular anesthesia.
Keywords: 338 cataract • 318 anterior segment • 609 treatment outcomes of cataract surgery