[Comparison between the pain induced by phacoemulsification with topical anesthesia and by peribulbar anesthesia without sedation].
OBJECTIVE
To compare pain sensation induced by phacoemulsification with topical anesthesia with that by peribulbar anesthesia, without sedation.


METHODS
Using a 10-level visual pain analogue scale, the pain induced by phacoemulsification with topical anesthesia (2% tetracaine drops) was measured in 20 patients. The same scale was used to measure the pain induced by peribulbar anesthesia (2% lidocaine and 0.5% bupivacaine) in 21 patients. The same surgeon performed peribulbar infiltrations and surgeries. The phacoemulsifications were done using clear corneal approach followed by in-the-bag intraocular lens implantation. Pain comparison between the two groups was performed by the non-parametrical U Mann-Whitney test.


RESULTS
The distribution of the pain scores of the patients who underwent cataract extraction with topical anesthesia ranged from 0 to 5 (median value = 2). The scores of the patients who underwent peribulbar infiltration ranged from 0 to 7 (median value = 3). The mean rank of the group of patients who had surgery with topical anesthesia (15.78) was significantly different from the mean rank of the patients who received peribulbar anesthesia (25.98) (p = 0.0057).


CONCLUSIONS
Without sedation, the pain induced by phacoemulsification with topical anesthesia was milder than the pain induced by peribulbar infiltration.
Coelho
Roberto Pinto
RP
Departamento de Oftalmologia, Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo. rpcoelho@keynet.com.br
Weissheimer
João
J
Romão
Erasmo
E
Velasco e Cruz
Antonio Augusto
AA
D000368:Aged; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods*; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013748:Tetracaine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D013748:Tetracaine; D008012:Lidocaine; D002045:Bupivacaine