Effects of local anesthesia with bupivacaine plus epinephrine on blepharoptosis and levator palpebrae muscle function.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of local anesthesia with bupivacaine plus epinephrine on the extent of blepharoptosis and levator palpebrae muscle function.

METHODS

: In this prospective interventional case series, patients with blepharoptosis who were candidates for aponeurotic surgery were included. After initial preparations in the operating room, a total of 1 ml of a mixture of bupivacaine 0.5% plus epinephrine 1:100,000 were injected into the upper eyelid. The margin reflex distance 1 (MRD1) and the extent of levator muscle function were measured before and 2, 5, 10, and 15 minutes after injection.

RESULTS

A total of 36 eyes including 21 men (58.3%) and 15 women (41.7%) with an average age of 41.81 ± 23.09 (17-83 years) were studied. There were 21 eyes with myogenic and 15 eyes with aponeurotic blepharoptosis. The mean MRD1 was 1.18 ± 1.06 mm before injection and -0.02 ± 0.85, 0.52 ± 0.98, 0.98 ± 1.05, and 1.02 ± 1.06 mm at 2, 5, 10, and 15 minutes after injections, respectively. The changes in the MRD1 measurements were statistically significant at all time points. The MRD1 values decreased during the first 2 minutes after injection in 88.8% of eyes, but returned to initial value after 15 minutes in 84.3%. The change in the levator muscle function measurements was statistically significant at 2 and 5 minutes after injections; however, the differences were clinically negligible.

CONCLUSIONS

: The local anesthesia of the eyelid with 1 ml bupivacaine plus epinephrine causes a temporary increase of blepharoptosis within the first few minutes with minimal effect on levator muscle function measurements.