To compare the efficacy of analgesia in single site and double site peribulbar anaesthesia in phacoemulsification with intraocular lens.

Abstract

AIM: To compare the efficacy of analgesia in single site and double site peribulbar anaesthesia in phacoemulsification with intraocular lens.

METHODS: 400 eyes of patients were studied in the Department of Ophthalmology, Fatima Jinnah Medical College/Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Lahore. It was a quasi experimental study. Two groups were made of 200 eyes each that underwent phacoemulsification with intra ocular lens. Local anesthesia was given as single site (inferotemporal) peribulbar anaesthesia, while the other 200 eyes received double site (inferotemporal and superonasal) peribulbar anesthesia. Verbal pain score of 4 levels was used immediately after surgery to assess each patient's overall severity of pain.

RESULT: In group A (single site peribulbar anaesthesia), 180 (90.0%) patients experienced complete analgesia (pain score = Zero), 12 (6.0%) patients felt mild pain (pain score= 1), 8 (4.0%) patients felt moderate pain (pain score= 2), and none of the patients experienced severe pain. In group B (double site peribulbar anaesthesia), 156 (78.0%) had no pain (pain score = Zero), 36 (18.0%) patients had mild pain (pain score= 1), 8 (4.0%) patients experienced moderate pain (pain score=2) and none of the patients experienced severe pain. Efficacy of analgesia, in group A was 90.0% (180 patients) while in group B the efficacy of anaesthesia was 78.0% (150 patients). Pearson Chi-square test showed statistically significant difference in efficacy of anaesthesia in the groups (p=0.014).

CONCLUSION: The single-injection technique is more suitable than double site peribulbar anaesthesia in providing analgesia for cataract surgery.