A collaborative regional ocular anesthesia training program: successes and failures.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a collaborative effort of the departments of ophthalmology and anesthesiology to teach anesthesiology residents regional ocular anesthesia; to detect any differences in positive or negative outcomes after blocks performed by anesthesiology residents versus blocks performed by ophthalmology residents.


METHODS
Prospective descriptive, study.


METHODS
Outpatient surgery in a university-affiliated veterans affairs hospital.


METHODS
614 patients requiring elective ocular surgery.


METHODS
Outcomes from patients who underwent regional anesthesia performed by ophthalmology residents were compared to outcomes from patients who received anesthesia from anesthesiology residents.


RESULTS
A detailed description of the collaborative teaching program in ocular anesthesia is presented. Ophthalmology residents performed the majority of regional ocular blocks (87% vs. 13%). There was no statistical difference in the incidence of negative outcomes, such as retrobulbar hemorrhage, between ophthalmology residents and anesthesiology residents (3/534 vs. 1/80) or in the incidence of successful blocks (90% for ophthalmology residents vs. 88% for anesthesiology residents).


CONCLUSIONS
Regional ocular anesthetic techniques can be safely and successfully taught to residents in anesthesiology.
Kleinman
B
B
Department of Anesthesiology, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA.
Perlman
J I
JI
Anderson
C
C
Frey
K
K
Stevens
R A
RA
Belusko
R
R
D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005123:Eye / Q000294:innervation*; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000193:education*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019315:Retrobulbar Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine; D002045:Bupivacaine