Contact topical anesthesia versus general anaesthesia in strabismus surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the anesthetic block provided by contact topical anesthesia (CTA) in strabismus surgery in adult patients. To analyze postoperative pain and surgical outcome obtained by CTA compared with general anesthesia (GA). METHODOLOGY: Prospective longitudinal cohort study of adult patients undergoing strabismus surgery by CTA or GA. The intensity of pain perceived by patients during the course of surgery and in the postoperative period was measured using Numerical Pain Scale. The success of the surgical outcome, considered as a residual ocular deviation<10 prism diopters, was evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients were operated using CTA and 26 using AG. During the course of surgery, pain intensity experienced by patients in ATC group was 3.17±2.44. There were no differences between CTA group and AG group in the intensity of pain in the immediate postoperative period (2.13±2.39 vs. 2.77±2.18, respectively; P=.510) and during the first postoperative day (3.22±2.84 vs. 3.17±2.73; P=.923). Surgical success was significantly higher in the CTA group than in the GA group (78.3 vs. 73.1%; P=.019). CONCLUSIONS: CTA provides adequate sensory block to perform strabismus surgery. The control of postoperative pain is similar to that obtained with AG. Conservation of ocular motility providing CTA enables better surgical outcome.

Contact topical anesthesia for strabismus surgery in adult patients.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effectiveness and usefulness of contact topical anesthesia in strabismus surgery in adult patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on 20 patients undergoing strabismus surgery using contact topical anesthesia and sedation with remifentanil. The intensity of pain was recorded using a numeric pain rating scale at the time of anesthesia implementation, during the surgical procedure, 30 min afterwards, and during the first postoperative day. The incidence of oculocardiac reflex, postoperative nausea and vomiting, corneal ulcers, patient satisfaction (numerically from 0 to 10) and the degree of residual ocular deviation were also assessed. RESULTS: The operation was performed successfully in all patients. Average pain intensity was 1.40 ± 1.73 during anesthesia implementation, 4.20 ± 2.57 during the surgical procedure, 2.50 ± 2.54 30 min after surgery, and 3.55 ± 2.89 during the first postoperative day. Oculocardiac reflex was observed in 7 patients (35%), postoperative nausea and vomiting in 4 (20%), and corneal ulcer in 4 (20%). The patient satisfaction was 9.53 ± 2.51. More than two-thirds (70%) of patients had a residual ocular deviation less than 10 prism diopters. CONCLUSIONS: Contact topical anesthesia is a safe and effective alternative for strabismus surgery in adult patients. Contact topical anesthesia provides adequate pain control, lower incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting and oculocardiac reflex, and optimal setting of ocular alignment.

[Glaucomatous damage pattern in swap in the early stages of glaucoma]. / Patrón de daño campimétrico en la perimetría automatizada de longitud de onda corta (PALOC) en las fases iniciales del glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To determine with Short-Wavelength Automated Perimetry (SWAP) the patterns of early glaucomatous damage and to compare frequency of diffuse defects to localized defects. METHODS: One hundred and sixty eyes from 83 ocular hypertensive subjects who met the selection criteria (intraocular pressure greater than 21 mm Hg and normal standard visual fields) were studied. SWAP was performed with a modified Humphrey Field Analyser. Total (TD) and pattern deviation (PD) probability maps were calculated to evaluate the pattern of visual field loss. RESULTS: The frequency of defects was higher in TD than in PD for all levels of defects (p<0.001). There was also a relative topographical distribution of glaucomatous defects. CONCLUSIONS: We documented the existence of predominantly diffuse visual field defects for all depth levels at early glaucoma stages.

[Predictive value of the pattern-electroretinogram in glaucoma]. / Valor predictivo del pattern-electrorretinograma en el glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To determine the ability of pattern-electroretinogram (PERG) to discriminate individual evolution of glaucomatous visual field losses in glaucoma suspects. METHODS: We studied 151 eyes of 78 GS, classified depending on their risk to develop glaucomatous damage. The initial visual field was normal. Those eyes showing at least 2 reduced amplitudes in the PERG components (P50, N95 and NP) were considered pathologic. The mean follow-up was 30 months (range: 13-50 months); the VF was evaluated at the end of the study. RESULTS: At the beginning of the study the PERG was pathologic in 65 eyes (43%); in 45 of these eyes (69%) the visual field was pathologic at the end of the study. The positive predictive value of the PERG of visual field glaucomatous changes was 69% and the negative predictive value was 80%. The N95 amplitude showed the best predictive value, with 100% and 77% in the high and medium risk groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The PERG study can discriminate the glaucoma suspects that will develop visual field glaucomatous losses.

Estudio de la queratitis infecciosa en el injerto corneal / Study of infectious keratitis complicating penetrating keratoplasty

Objetivo: Analizar es un estudio retrospectivo, la microbiología y los factores de riesgo asociados en la queratitis infecciosa (Ql) tras queratoplastia penetrante (QP).Métodos: Han sido estudiadas 246 QP (realizadas en 17 años, 1980-1997) para identificar QI en QP. Criterio de inclusión fue el cultivo o extensión positiva. Fueron estudiadas las indicaciones de QP, intervalo de tiempo entre QP y QI, factores de riesgo asociados, estudio microbiológico, complicaciones y transparencia final del injerto. Resultados: Se encontraron 12 casos de QI en 246 QP, por tanto, una incidencia del 4,8 por ciento. Entre estos casos, la causa más frecuente de QP fue la queratopatía herpética (41,6 por ciento). Los factores de riesgo asociados fueron: 1.º Oculares (descompensación del injerto, lente de contacto terapéutica y sutura); 2.º Medicaciones tópicas (antibióticos y corticoides) y 3.º Sistémicas (diabetes mellitus). El tiempo medio entre QP y QI fue de 27,1ñ25,7 meses. El 25 por ciento de casos se aparecieron en el período precoz (12 meses) asociados a la descompensación del injerto y empleo lente de contacto terapéutica. El 66,6 por ciento de casos fueron bacterianos predominando los Gram (+) (Staphyilococcus y Streptococcus) y el resto de origen fúngico (Candida). Se observó un caso de queratopatía cristalina infecciosa por Streptococcus Mitis. La incidencia de complicaciones severas como evisceración y pérdida de trasparencia del injerto es del 75 por ciento. Conclusiones: La QI en QP es una complicación poco frecuente (4,8 por ciento) y grave. Es mayor la incidencia de QI tardía asociada a descompensación del injerto y empleo de lente de contacto terapéutica. Los microorganismos más frecuentemente implicados son bacterias Gram (+) y hongos (Cándida) (AU)

Electrophysiological methods in early glaucoma detection.

Electrophysiological methods like pattern electroretinogram and pattern visual evoked potentials may be the best approach for early glaucoma detection, as they have demonstrated to be sensitive to the ganglion cells functional changes. Reported values of both P50 and N95 pattern electroretinogram components differ widely, a fact perhaps related to a heterogeneous grouping of patients suffering from ocular hypertension and glaucoma, rather than to the type of technique utilized. This study is based on a total of 42 subjects: 14 normals, 16 subjects suffering from ocular hypertension, and 12 patients with glaucoma, with 79 eyes examined. Pattern electroretinogram and pattern visual evoked potentials were used as successive techniques. Setting condition for pattern electroretinogram, such as low temporal frequency (2 Hz), 30 min check size, high contrast (99%) and luminance (93 cd/m2), identified the N95 component as the best index for early glaucoma detection. In the control group N95 mean amplitude was 1.62 muV +/- 0.59 SD and showed almost significant difference with ocular hypertension (p = 0.07) and highly significant difference with the glaucoma group (p < 0.01), with decrement of 58.6% in the glaucoma group. P50 mean amplitude, on the contrary, did not show significant differences among the groups (Newman-Keul test), its reduction in glaucoma being 28%. The mean pattern visual evoked potentials latency was alos highly significant between glaucoma and control groups, but not between ocular hypertension and control groups; the mean amplitude did not show significant differences. A proportion of 26.6% abnormal pattern electroretinogram was found in the group suspected of having glaucoma where conventional methods had proved normal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)