title: [Local anesthesia in children's ocular surgery].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Present a Senegalese experience of local anesthesia in children's ocular surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective study on 309 patients under 15 years of age, operated on in our department from June 1998 to December 2002. The type of anesthesia, general or local, was noted. The latter consisted in a retrobulbar and/or a peribulbar injection, with 4 ml of 50% of lidocaine 2% and bupivacaine mixture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Local anesthesia was given to 38.8% of patients, who had a mean age of 11.51 years, with a sex ratio of 2.4. The mean age of patients operated on with general anesthesia was 4.6 years. No complications were noted in the local anesthesia group. One operation was postponed because of lack of cooperation. In this group of operated patients, 62.5% had a cataract surgery, 16.7% a corneal laceration suture, and 10.0% mutilating surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because of our working conditions, local anesthesia, more than a choice, is almost obligatory. Our study shows that local anesthesia in children's ocular surgery has many advantages and few disadvantages. However, this study is limited because of a lack of information on the anesthesia and postoperative reactions. A prospective study based on a questionnaire completed by the anesthesiologist and the surgeon at the end of surgery will be necessary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ocular surgery under local anesthesia is possible in children as young as 10 years of age. Good psychological preparation of the patient and the presence of the parents, from the consulting room to operating room, are required.
authors.affiliation: Clinique Ophtalmologique, CHU Le Dantec, Dakar, Sénégal. amwane@refer.sn
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wane
authors.forename: E H A
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Ba
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ndoye Roth
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brahim Moussavon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dieng
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: De Medeiros Quenum
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ndiaye
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ndiaye
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wade
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012675:Senegal