A Comparison of One-site and Two-site Peribulbar Anaesthesia for Cataract Surgery at Kaduna, Nigeria

A Comparison of One-site and Two-site Peribulbar Anaesthesia for Cataract Surgery at National Eye Centre, Kaduna. Nigeria

The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of single injection peribulbar anaesthesia against the classic double injection technique.

This was a double blind randomized controlled trial involving two groups of consenting, adult Nigerian subjects with operable age-related cataract. An anaesthetic nurse who allocated the subjects to the two groups administered all the injections. The same surgeon operated on all the subjects while the principal investigator and a research assistant measured the outcome variables. All others were blinded as to subject allocation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 50 years and above
• Diagnosed with uncomplicated senile cataract
• Visual acuity of <3/60

Exclusion Criteria:

• Impaired mental status
• Difficulty in speaking
• Known allergy to amide-type local anaesthetic agents and/ or hyaluronidase
• Previous surgery in the same eye
• Glaucoma
• Impaired ocular motility
• Eyelid abnormalities
• Patients with only one eye