INNOVATIVE METHODS OF ANESTHESIA FOR EYE SURGERY IN CHILDREN

Objective: To study effectiveness of innovative method of anaesthesia for eye surgeries in paediatric age group. Methods: This is a retrospective study. We retrieved data from Medical Record Department for all children (0 to 18) who had undergone ocular surgeries between January 2008 to December 2013 at tertiary eye care centre. Sedation along with regional anaesthesia (topical or peribulbar block) or general anaesthesia was the preferred mode of anaesthesia under which cataract, strabismus, lacrimal, ocular trauma and retinal surgerieswere performed. All surgeries, methods, medicines and complications of anaesthesia were properly documented. Results: In all, 1941 cases were operated.Among them 1084 were males and 857 were females; 520 were cataract surgeries, 723 werestrabismus surgeries, 285 were lacrimal surgeries, 185 were ocular trauma and 228 were retinal surgeries. Median age of patients was 8+/-4.8(0 to 17). All surgeries were eventless and no serious perioperative complication was encountered. Conclusion: Combination of sedation and regional anaesthesia is a good cost effective method for ocular anaesthesia in children for eye surgeries.