Peribulbar versus general anesthesia for horizontal strabismus surgery

Abstract

To compare the results of strabismus surgery under peribulbar and general anesthesia in cases of small and moderate angle of horizontal strabismus. Medical records of eighty-four patients with small and moderate angle horizontal strabismus who underwent strabismus surgery were reviewed. Forty-two patients were submitted to the surgery under peribulbar anesthesia and forty-two under general anesthesia. The surgery was considered satisfactory when postoperative angle was 10 prism diopters or less. Surgery was satisfactory in all patients. Mann-Whitney test showed no difference in the preoperative angle of deviation (p=0.366) and in the postoperative results (p=0.800) between the two groups. Adjusting for the variables age and type of strabismus (esotropia and exotropia), ANCOVA (analysis of covariance) results showed no statistical difference (p=0.368). There were no complications due to surgery or anesthesia in either group. This study suggested that there was no difference between the postoperative results of strabismus surgery under peribulbar and general anesthesia in small and moderate angle of horizontal strabismus.