Apnea and seizures following retrobulbar local anesthetic injection.
Surgery on the eye is performed using topical anesthesia, retrobulbar anesthesia, peribulbar anesthesia, and general anesthesia. Retrobulbar anesthesia is associated with a number of complications that include apnea (respiratory arrest), seizures, or both. Although these complications are transient and self-limiting, they can be life-threatening if not recognized and treated early. We report two patients who developed apnea, one of whom had cardiorespiratory arrest; and two other patients who presented with seizures. We provided ventilation with 100% oxygen, treated the hypertension with nicardipine, and the tachycardia with esmolol. The patients did not have any residual complications.
Moorthy
Sreenivasa S
SS
Department of Anesthesia, Roudebush V.A. Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. Screenivasa.Moorthy@med.va.gov
Zaffer
Rashid
R
Rodriguez
Sandra
S
Ksiazek
Susan
S
Yee
Robert D
RD
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001049:Apnea / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000779:Anesthetics, Local