Adverse Events Associated with Regional Ophthalmic Anaesthesia in an Australian Teaching Hospital

Abstract

This study prospectively audited 3339 peribulbar and 2688 sub-Tenon's eye blocks in an Australian teaching hospital with regard to the occurrence of adverse events. Complications were classified into three groups: ocular complications directly due to the eye block technique, systemic medical complications possibly associated with block technique and adverse events which were unlikely to have been associated with block technique. Five serious ocular complications were associated with peribulbar block compared to none with sub-Tenon's block (P=0.07).