Safety and efficacy of peribulbar block as adjunct to general anaesthesia for paediatric ophthalmic surgery

METHODS: Fifty children (age 5-14 years, ASA I-II) undergoing elective ophthalmic surgery were chosen for the study. Of these, 25 received intravenous pethidine (control group) and 25 received a peribulbar block (block group) for perioperative analgesia, and were monitored intraoperatively and postoperatively by an investigator blinded to the analgesic technique. RESULTS: Intraoperative values of haemodynamic variables were significantly higher in the control group (P < 0.01). Requirement for intraoperative rescue analgesic and postoperative analgesia was higher in the control group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively). Children in the block group had lower postoperative pain scores at all times. Incidence of oculocardiac reflex was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the control group. Seventy-six percent of children in the control group had postoperative nausea and vomiting compared to 20% children in the block group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There were no complications related to the block. Peribulbar block appears to be a safe and useful analgesic technique for paediatric ophthalmic surgery.