Comparison of pain, motility, and preoperative sedation in cataract phacoemulsification patients receiving peribulbar or sub-Tenon's anesthesia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The authors hoped to reduce the need for preoperative sedation and intravenous pain medication during cataract surgery by converting from peribulbar anesthesia to sub-Tenon's anesthesia.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A consecutive series of 2453 cataract patients' charts were reviewed. Each patient had previously watched a videotape explaining the anesthetic method to be used. Requests for preoperative sedation were compared between patients who received peribulbar or sub-Tenon's anesthesia. A sample of 200 charts of nonsedated patients were reviewed to compare intraoperative pain and motility.

RESULTS

Intraoperative freedom from pain was reported by 91% of the peribulbar patients and 99% of the sub-Tenon's patients. Preoperative sedation was reduced from 26% of the peribulbar patients to 6.7% of the sub-Tenon's patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Sub-Tenon's anesthesia provided excellent intraoperative pain relief and reduced the need for preoperative sedation, making it a satisfactory anesthetic technique for patients undergoing cataract phacoemulsification in an ambulatory surgery facility.