Comparison of clinical outcomes, patient, and surgeon satisfaction following topical versus peribulbar anesthesia for phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation: a randomized, controlled trial

Femtosecond laser-assisted minimally invasive lamellar keratoplasty for the treatment of advanced keratoconus

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the initial safety and efficacy of femtosecond laser-assisted minimal invasive lamellar keratoplasty (FL-MILK) for advanced keratoconus.

METHODS

Twenty-two patients (22 eyes) with advanced keratoconus were included in this prospective study. All the involved eyes underwent FL-MILK. The femtosecond laser was used to create an intrastromal pocket with a 2.3 mm incision in the recipient cornea. Then a stromal button with a diameter of 9.0 mm and a depth of 200 μm was gently inserted into the intrastromal pocket through the 2.3 mm incision and flattened. No sutures were applied. Follow-up was conducted for 24 months.

RESULTS

Twenty-two patients completed follow-up data for 12 months, 16 patients had 24 months follow-up. No epithelial implantation, infection or allogeneic rejection were observed during the follow-up. Based on baseline values, postoperative 12 months values and postoperative 24 months values, clinical significantly improvement was recorded in corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) (0.40 ± 0.18 logMAR vs. 0.30 ± 0.12 logMAR and 0.23 ± 0.13 logMAR), the anterior central corneal elevation (29.14 ± 15.33 μm vs. 14.45 ± 13.75μm and 11.38 ± 8.33 μm), and corneal higher-order aberrations (3.536 ± 1.503 vs. 2.761 ± 1.517 and 0.994 ± 0.391). Corneal biomechanical properties in all eyes improved significantly. SP-A1 increased from 48.64 ± 12.87 preoperatively to 87.26 ± 21.01 postoperative 12 months and 88.77 ± 18.26 postoperative 24 months; deformation amplitude (DA) decreased from 1.36 ± 0.15 preoperatively to 1.21 ± 0.12 postoperative 12 months and 1.19 ± 0.19 postoperative 24 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Initial experience suggests that this minimally invasive transplantation may be a feasible option for advanced keratoconus. A larger cohort and longer follow-up are required to validate our results and establish long-term safety and efficacy of the procedure.

Poor Correlation of Provider and Patient Satisfaction with Anesthesia in Ophthalmic Surgeries: A Secondary Analysis of a Clinical Trial

Purpose

This secondary analysis of a clinical trial that measured surgeon, anesthesiologist, and patient satisfaction following ophthalmic surgery under monitored anesthesia care (MAC) with a benzodiazepine investigates the degree of association between patient satisfaction with anesthesia compared to surgeon and anesthesiologist satisfaction with anesthesia.

Patients and Methods

Data from analogous 6-point surgeon satisfaction surveys and anesthesiologist satisfaction surveys were compared to data from a 6-point validated patient satisfaction survey collected from a clinical trial investigating satisfaction with different forms of benzodiazepine for patients undergoing cataract, retina, cornea, or glaucoma surgery. Relationships between measures were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, with further subgroup analysis based on language groups and single-question measures of satisfaction.

Results

A total of 283 ophthalmic surgical cases were analyzed. Mean surgeon satisfaction was 5.27 (range, 1.33–6.00), mean anesthesiologist satisfaction was 5.12 (range, 1.17–6.00), and mean patient satisfaction was 5.28 (range, 2.58–6.00). The correlation between surgeon and patient satisfaction was 0.333 (p = 9.06e-9), while the correlation between anesthesiologist and patient satisfaction was 0.319 (p = 4.28e-8). There was no difference between English and non-English speaking patients in correlation between surgeon and patient satisfaction (p = 0.08) and anesthesiologist and patient satisfaction (p = 0.47).

Conclusion

The data demonstrate a low level of association between patient satisfaction with anesthesia and provider satisfaction, even when patient language is taken into consideration. This suggests that providers are poor predictors of patient satisfaction with anesthesia and are unreliable judges of patient comfort perioperatively.

Comparison of auditory sensations in patients who underwent cataract phacoemulsification surgery in the first and second eye

To compare subjective auditory sensations of patients during the first and second eye cataract surgeries. Consecutive patients who underwent phacoemulsification of the first eye (group I) and second eye (group II) completed questionnaires designed to evaluate their auditory sensations in the operating room including background music, sound of working equipment, staff conversations, and surgeon's voice. This study included 124 patients in group I and 76 patients in group II. Patients most often heard nursing staff's conversations (91.9% and 96%, respectively, p > 0.05), surgeon's voice (87.9% and 86.8%, respectively, p > 0.05), and music (70.9% and 75%, respectively, p > 0.05). Music was the most pleasant experience (78.2% and 78.9%, respectively, p > 0.05). The sound of the working phacoemulsifier was the most undesirable sound (20.2% and 15.8%, respectively, p > 0.05). Patients in group II more often indicated that none of the sounds required elimination (69.7% and 52.6%, respectively, p = 0.013) or that staff conversations should be eliminated (13.2% and 3.1%, respectively, p = 0.005). The most desirable sounds during phacoemulsification include music and the surgeon's voice regarding the procedure. The most unpleasant sound was that that of phacoemulsifier. The commonest sounds to be eliminated in groups I and II included those of equipment and staff conversations.

Topical anesthesia versus peribulbar anesthesia in phacoemulsification cataract surgery and intraocular lens implantation

Topical anesthesia during phacoemulsification cataract surgery has become the best choice for ophthalmologists, which broadens the indications for surgery, and eliminates the risk of peribulbar injections. The aim of our study is to assess the advantages and disadvantages, the efficacy and the tolerance of this protocol. Prospective study extending from January 2018 to December 2019, including 116 patients operated for cataracts under topical anesthesia (group 1), and 179 patients under peribulbar anesthesia (group 2). All patients were operated by phacoemulsification. The patients evaluated their pain on a visual analog scale graduated from 1 to 10. The two groups were comparable in age, gender and history of high blood pressure. All patients received premedication before surgery (Atarax). It was the first eye operated for cataracts in 79 patients in group 1 and 75 patients in group 2. The two groups did not differ significantly in systolic blood pressure rate (p= 0,36), pain score (p=0.54), duration of surgery (p=0.52), anaesthesia-related intraoperative difficulties (p=0.17), or intraoperative surgical complication rate (p=0.49) or blood oxygen saturation (p=0.74). However, in the peribulbar groups, better patient and surgeon satisfaction scores were obtained (P < .005).

Pre-induction fentanyl dose-finding study for controlled hypotension during functional endoscopic sinus surgery

Background and Aims:

Fentanyl can facilitate controlled intraoperative hypotension by its sympatholytic effect in patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). We investigated the effects of different doses of pre-induction fentanyl on controlled hypotension profile during FESS.

Methods:

This prospective, randomised study included 120 patients randomly allocated to three groups (40 each) based on administration of pre-induction fentanyl; 2 μg/kg group, 3 μg/kg group and 4 μg/kg group. The primary objective was to assess effect on intraoperative heart rate and mean arterial pressure. Use of additional hypotensive agents, surgical field condition and surgeon satisfaction were also analysed.

Results:

Controlled hypotension was achieved adequately in all participants. Patients belonging to fentanyl 4 μg/kg group had significantly lower heart rate for the duration of controlled hypotension intraoperatively versus fentanyl 2 μg/kg group (P < 0.05). Trinitroglycerin [TNG] and metoprolol were administered to 3 [7.5%] and 9 [22.5%] patients respectively in the fentanyl 3 μg/kg group, and to 3 [7.5%] and 5 [12.5%] patients respectively in the 4 μg/kg group, compared to 14 [35%] and 20 [50%] in the fentanyl 2 μg/kg group, respectively (TNG, P < 0.001). Surgical field conditions and surgeon satisfaction scores were significantly superior in fentanyl 3 μg/kg and 4 μg/kg groups than in fentanyl 2 μg/kg group.

Conclusion:

Pre-induction fentanyl 3 μg/kg and 4 μg/kg group showed superior controlled hypotension facilitation than 2 μg/kg fentanyl during FESS in terms of measurable haemodynamic endpoints and favourable operative conditions, surgeon's satisfaction and sparing of additional hypotensive agents.