Complications associated with anaesthesia for ocular surgery: a retrospective study 1989–1996

Abstract

Summary This retrospective study was initiated to identify complications of anaesthesia occurring during ocular surgery. Records of 74 horses anaesthetised for eye enucleation, 65 horses anaesthetised for surgery of the eye and adnexa, and 51 horses anaesthetised for splint bone excision were reviewed. Fifty‐three percent of the horses anaesthetised for eye enucleation moved during surgery which was significantly more frequent than in the other groups (P = 0.001). The incidence of moving was significantly reduced by use of an anaesthetic gas analyser for monitoring (P = 0.001). Transient hypertension was measured in 6 horses during removal of the eye. One horse experienced a momentary decrease in heart rate from 36 to 26 beats/min at the start of surgery involving a mass on the third eyelid. The incidence of unsatisfactory recovery from anaesthesia involving multiple attempts to stand was significantly greater after ocular surgery than after splint bone excision (P = 0.036). Our conclusions were 1) the oculocardiac reflex was not active in these horses undergoing ocular surgery, 2) increased attention must be paid to provision of analgesia and adequate depth of anaesthesia, which may be facilitated by use of an anaesthetic gas analyser and 3) horses were at greater risk for unsatisfactory recoveries from anaesthesia after ocular surgery.

Sedation management for standing enucleation of the left eye in a 37 years old horse with decompensated left heart failure

“…Recovery from general anaesthesia is the most critical phase in equine anaesthesia because of the inability of complete control and is mainly affected by the anaesthetic conditions. Especially horses after ocular surgery are at greater risk for unsatisfactory recoveries from anaesthesia (Parviainen and Trim 2000) compared to other elective procedures. Performing surgery in the standing and well sedated horse avoids the risk of poor recoveries and might reduce morbidity and mortality in these patients.…”

“…Anaesthesia for ocular procedures continues to be a challenge for the equine anaesthetist (Parviainen and Trim 2000). Important considerations include maintenance of a central eye position, an immobilised eye and avoidance of increased intraocular pressure (Collins et al 1995).…”

Anesthetic Overdose Leading to Cardiac Arrest Diagnosed by End-Tidal Inhalant Concentration Analysis in a Dog

“…Although endtidal gas analyzers are expensive (ranging in price from $2,800 to $15,000), they are useful for documenting the concentration of inhalant in the patient which helps guide clinical decision making and is the only way to definitively diagnose inhalant anesthesia overdose or underdose. There has been speculation that the presence of a gas analyzer dramatically improves the ability to manage equine cases [6], and this may also be true in small animals. A gas analyzer may therefore be a helpful contribution to the small animal practitioner, particularly those performing more lengthy or complex procedures.…”

“…ETCO 2 monitoring has been well correlated with outcome during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in small animals [2]. Monitoring end-tidal inhalant anesthetics has been speculated as one possible explanation for an improvement in outcome with anesthetic arrests at a university [2,6].…”

Experiences with the local retrobulbar anesthesia in ophthalmologic surgery of the standing horse

“…Alle Pferde in der Gruppe "Bulbusexstirpation" zeigten bei starkem Zug an den Augenmuskeln einen signifikanten Abfall der Herzfrequenz und einen messbaren Blutdruckabfall. Parviainen und Trim (2000) untersuchten in einer retrospektiven Studie mit 190 Pferden die Häufigkeit Anäs-thesie bedingter Komplikationen bei ophthalmo-chirurgischen Eingriffen. Sie stellten fest, dass die Aufstehphase bei den Augenpatienten signifikant schlechter als bei der Kontrollgruppe verlief.…”