Phacoemulsification with topical anesthesia: Resident experience.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the intraoperative and postoperative complications and outcomes of phacoemulsification performed by residents using topical and retrobulbar anesthesia.


METHODS
Two university ophthalmology departments.


METHODS
One hundred fifty phacoemulsification procedures were performed by 3 residents who used retrobulbar anesthesia (retrobulbar group), and 146 phacoemulsification procedures were performed by another 3 residents who used topical anesthesia and who had no experience with retrobulbar or peribulbar anesthesia (topical group). Case notes were prospectively compared. The data analyzed included the ocular history, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and final best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA).


RESULTS
There were no differences between the 2 groups in complication rates. Anterior capsule tears occurred in 8 eyes (5.3%) in the retrobulbar group and 7 eyes (4.7%) in topical group. Capsulorhexis was continuous but not curvilinear in 14 eyes (9.3%) and 12 eyes (8.2%), respectively. Capsulorhexis tear or posterior capsule rupture that necessitated conversion to extracapsular cataract extraction occurred in 3 eyes (2.0%) in the retrobulbar group and in 1 eye (0.6%) in the topical group. Posterior capsule rupture with vitreous loss occurred in 10 eyes (6.6%) and 9 eyes (6.1%), respectively. Loss of lens fragments in the vitreous cavity occurred in 3 eyes (2.0%) and 4 eyes (2.7%), respectively. The 63 postoperative complications (41 eyes [27.3%], retrobulbar group; 22 eyes [15.0%], topical group) included cystoid macular edema, intraocular lens decentration, endophthalmitis, bullous keratopathy, transient intraocular pressure elevation, temporary corneal edema, and vitreous hemorrhage. Some cases had more than 1 complication. The BSCVA, including in eyes with preexisting ocular pathology, was 20/40 or better in 86.7% in the retrobulbar group and 84.9% in the topical group.


CONCLUSIONS
When supervised and in selected patients, residents who have no retrobulbar or peribulbar anesthesia experience can safely perform phacoemulsification using topical anesthesia.
Unal
Mustafa
M
Ophthalmology Department, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey. drmustafaun@hotmail.com
Yücel
Iclal
I
Sarici
Ahmet
A
Artunay
Ozgür
O
Devranoğlu
Kazim
K
Akar
Yusuf
Y
Altin
Meryem
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000193:education*; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000193:education*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity
D000779:Anesthetics, Local