Hyaluronidase in sub-Tenon's anesthesia for phacoemulsification, a double-blind randomized clinical trial

Abstract

AIM: To investigate the effect of hyaluronidase use on the quality of sub-Tenon's anaesthesia for phacoem ulsification. METHODS: This was a randomized, double-blind clinical trial which was conducted at Nikookari Eye Hospital for 5 months. Forty-two eyes of candidates for phacoem ulsification under sub-Tenon's anaesthesia were random ly allocated to two equal groups and received either 2 m L of lidocaine 2% solution with (LH), or without (L) addition of hyaluronidase (150IU/mL). Akinesia was assessed 15m inutes after sub-Tenon's injection. Patients and surgeon's satisfaction, as well as the postoperative pain (the visual analogue scale, VAS) were inv estigated after operation. The contingency tables (including the Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests, when appropriate) and param etric analysis (the independent sam ples t test) were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Complete akinesia (33.3%vs4.8%, P=0.04), as well as the patients (85.7%vs57.1%, P=0.04) and surgeon's satisfaction (87.5%vs52.4%, P=0.02) were significantly more frequent in LH than in L group. The mean VAS was significantly lower in the same group (1.90آ±1.45 vs 3.00آ±1.55, P=0.04). CONCLUSION: Addition of hy aluronidase to lidocaine solution for sub-Tenon's anesthesia significantly im proves the ocular akinesia, enhances the intra-operative patients and surgeons' satisfaction, and attenuates the postoperative pain. Copyright International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.