PERIBULBAR ANESTHESIA - ONE VERSUS 2 INJECTIONS

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The authors describe their prospective, rand omized study of a single peribulbar injection into the junction of the lateral third and medial two thirds of the lower lid compared with th e standard two-injection peribulbar technique. PATIENTS AND METHODS: O ne hundred twenty patients undergoing elective intraocular surgery wer e randomly allocated to receive either one or two injections of a mixt ure of balanced salt solution, 2% lidocaine, 0.5% bupivacaine, and hya luronidase. Preoperative akinesia was assessed following the injection s. At the end of surgery, the patients were asked if they had experien ced any pain or discomfort during surgery. RESULTS: There was no signi ficant difference in pain or globe akinesia between the two groups. CO NCLUSION: The single peribulbar injection was found to be as effective as the standard two-injection peribulbar technique.