title: Peribulbar anesthesia in 750 patients treated with oral anticoagulants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To check the safety of continuation of oral anticoagulants in ophthalmic procedures requiring a peribulbar anesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective case control study included 750 patients with oral anticoagulants in group A and 750 patients who had never been treated with oral anticoagulant in group B. Hemorrhages were graded as follows: 1) spot ecchymosis of eyelid and or subconjunctival hemorrhage; 2) eyelid ecchymosis involving half of the lid surface area; 3) eyelid ecchymosis all around the eye, no increase in intraocular pressure; 4) retrobulbar hemorrhage with increased intraocular pressure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group A, grade 1 was observed in 13 patients (1.74%) and grade 2 in 2 patients (0.26%). In group B, grade 1 was observed in 12 patients (1.6%) and grade 2 was absent. No 3 or 4 hemorrhage grade was encountered in both groups. There was not significant difference in grade 1 hemorrhage between both groups (P=0.21).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral anticoagulants were not associated with a significant increase in potentially sight-threatening local anesthetic complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Rouen University Hospital, 1 rue de Germont, Rouen cedex 76031, France.
authors.forename: Emile
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calenda
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Rouen University Hospital, 1 rue de Germont, Rouen cedex 76031, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Genevois
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Rouen University Hospital, 1 rue de Germont, Rouen cedex 76031, France.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cardon
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Rouen University Hospital, 1 rue de Germont, Rouen cedex 76031, France.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muraine
keywords: eye procedure; hemorrhage; oral anticoagulants; peribulbar block