Purpose The aim of this study was to monitor the effect of different anesthetic volumes and patients’ age on the efficacy of bulbar akinesia and analgesia induced by retrobulbar anesthesia (RBA)
Patients and methods This was a prospective, comparative, and interventional study that enrolled 478 patients who had consecutive cataract surgery and received RBA. Patients were divided randomly into two groups according to the volume of anesthetic solutions used. In group 1, patients received 2.50 ml of RBA, whereas in group 2, patients received 4 ml of RBA. Each group was then subdivided according to the age of the patients less than 45 years and greater than or equal to 45 years (1a, 1b, 2a, and 2b, correspondingly). The efficacy of anesthesia was evaluated by the degree of ocular motility in both groups
Results The study included 478 eyes of 478 patients. Group 1a included 94 patients: 51 eyes showed no movement regarding globe akinesia, 27 eyes showed flicker movement, 10 eyes showed partial movement, and six eyes showed full movement. Group 1b included 131 patients: 84 eyes showed no movement, 30 eyes showed flicker movement, 10 eyes showed partial movement, and seven eyes showed full movement. Group 2a included 103 patients: 80 eyes showed no movement, 17 eyes showed flicker movement, four eyes showed partial movement, and two eyes showed full movement. Group 2b included 150 patients: 109 eyes showed no movement, 28 eyes showed flicker movement, eight eyes showed partial movement, and five eyes showed full movement
Conclusion This comparison of different injection anesthetic volumes showed significant differences regarding bulbar akinesia, where the larger volume of anesthetic solution (4 ml) yielded better ocular akinesia with no significant effect of age of the patient on the efficacy of RBA.