September 2016
Volume 57, Issue 12
Open Access
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   September 2016
Does General Anesthesia Have a Clinical Impact on Intraocular Pressure in Infants?
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Julia Termuehlen
    Ophthalmology, University of Muenster Medical Center, Muenster, Germany
  • Antje Gottschalk
    Anesthesia, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
  • Hugo van Aken
    Anesthesia, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
  • Ulrike Grenzebach
    Ophthalmology, University of Muenster Medical Center, Muenster, Germany
  • Esther Hoffmann
    Ophthalmology, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
  • Nicole Eter
    Ophthalmology, University of Muenster Medical Center, Muenster, Germany
  • Verena Prokosch
    Ophthalmology, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships   Julia Termuehlen, None; Antje Gottschalk, None; Hugo van Aken, None; Ulrike Grenzebach, None; Esther Hoffmann, None; Nicole Eter, None; Verena Prokosch, None
  • Footnotes
    Support  None
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science September 2016, Vol.57, 6443. doi:
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      Julia Termuehlen, Antje Gottschalk, Hugo van Aken, Ulrike Grenzebach, Esther Hoffmann, Nicole Eter, Verena Prokosch; Does General Anesthesia Have a Clinical Impact on Intraocular Pressure in Infants?. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2016;57(12):6443.

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      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

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Abstract

Purpose : Reliable monitoring of intraocular pressure (IOP) is crucial in pediatric patients with suspected glaucoma. General anesthesia (GA) is usually needed in infants in order to allow a thorough examination. However, anesthesia itself may influence IOP, depending on the type used and the depth of sedation. The purpose of this study was therefore to evaluate the normal distribution of IOP during GA in healthy children and to analyze differences in IOP relative to the anesthetics used and the measurement time point.

Methods : A total of 100 pediatric patients with no history of glaucoma who were scheduled for nonintraocular surgery underwent general anesthesia, induced with sevoflurane (s) or propofol (p) and maintained with either sevoflurane with remifentanil (S) or propofol with remifentanil (P). The patients were allocated to one of four subgroups (sS, sP, pP, pS) depending on the anesthetics used during induction and maintenance. Hemodynamic parameters and IOP were measured in both eyes at four defined time points: in spontaneously breathing children before anesthesia induction (M1); in apnea immediately after induction and before insertion of a laryngeal mask airway (M2); in deep anesthesia during mechanical ventilation (M3); and after extubation (M4), using a handheld Perkins applanation tonometer.

Results : GA reduced IOP significantly. The mean IOP was normally distributed, with a mean of 7.4 ± 2.89 mmHg at M1. It decreased significantly to a minimum of 5.6 ± 3.04 mmHg (P < 0.01) at M2 and increased significantly to 7.2 ± 2.51 mmHg (P < 0.01) at M3 and again to 8.4 ± 3.72 mmHg (P = 0.03) at M4. All four subgroups (sS, sP, pP, pS) showed comparable decreases in IOP between M1 and M2. During deep anesthesia (M3) and during reversal (M4), the IOP increased again in all groups. During reversal (M4), however, the sS group had a significantly lower IOP than the pP group (P = 0.001) and sP group (P = 0.02). There were no correlations between changes in IOP and gender, age, or type of surgery.

Conclusions : Sevoflurane and propofol, both in combination with remifentanil, significantly lower IOP in children. Individual IOP levels rise and fall during anesthesia, depending on the time point of measurement. The lowest IOP can be measured immediately after induction of anesthesia. This needs to be taken into account in pediatric glaucoma cases.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.

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