SUCCINYLCHOLINE INCREASES INTRAOCULAR-PRESSURE IN THE HUMAN EYE WITH THE EXTRAOCULAR-MUSCLES DETACHED

Background: The increase in intraocular pressure in the human eye that is associated with the use of intravenous succinylcholine has long be en ascribed to contraction of the extraocular muscles leading to compr ession of the globe. This created concern that such contraction would extrude global contents in the patient with an open globe, and led cli nicians to avoid the use of succinylcholine in these patients. Methods . The authors studied 15 patients undergoing elective enucleation, and compared the intraocular pressure change after the administration of succinylcholine in the diseased eye after all the extraocular muscles had been detached to that of the normal eye that had the extraocular m uscles attached. Results: The authors found no difference in baseline intraocular pressure (mmHg) between eyes (15.1 vs. 16.1) or at peak in traocular pressure (25.2 vs. 24.7), but did observe a significant diff erence in pressure in both eyes when baseline was compared with peak p ressure. Conclusions. The authors concluded that extraocular muscle co ntraction does not contribute to the increase in intraocular pressure after succinylcholine.