[Strabismus surgery under subconjunctival anesthesia: technique and evaluation by patient and his surgeon].
BACKGROUND
In adults, eye muscle surgery can be performed under local anesthesia without retrobulbar injection. We wanted to know how patients and surgeons perceive this procedure.


METHODS
50 patients and 3 surgeons were interviewed with a questionnaire after operation on one or two straight eye muscles, including revisions in 11 cases. The patients were sedated with benzodiazepines. The conjunctiva was anesthetized with tetracaine eye drops. During the operation, mepivacaine was irrigated under the muscle insertion using a blunt needle.


RESULTS
The patients perceived little or no pain during the operation. This corresponded to the surgeon's judgement. 96% of the patients would prefer local over general anesthesia in case of a second operation.


CONCLUSIONS
The technique can be recommended for surgery of rectus muscles in adults, even in the case of revision.
Lagrèze
W D
WD
Universitäts-Augenklinik, Abteilung Neuroophthalmologie und Schielbehandlung, Freiburg.
Gerling
J
J
Kommerell
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008619:Mepivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012086:Reoperation; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013285:Strabismus / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013748:Tetracaine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D013748:Tetracaine; D008619:Mepivacaine