Anesthesia protocols for early vitrectomy in former preterm infants diagnosed with aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity

The Effect of Peribulbar Block with General Anesthesia for Vitreoretinal Surgery in Premature and Ex-Premature Infants with Retinopathy of Prematurity

Safe anesthesia in premature and ex-premature infants remains a challenge for the anesthesiologist. These infants are at risk of postoperative apnea, desaturation, and bradycardia after general anesthesia. We describe our experience of peribulbar block in 24 infants who underwent vitreoretinal surgery for retinopathy of prematurity. None of our patients had postoperative apnea or required neonatal intensive care admission. A possible opioid and muscle relaxant-sparing effect of peribulbar block might have reduced the incidence of postoperative complications.

Immediate Sequential Bilateral Pediatric Vitreoretinal Surgery: An International Multicenter Study

PURPOSE

To determine the feasibility and safety of bilateral simultaneous vitreoretinal surgery in pediatric patients.

DESIGN

International, multicenter, interventional, retrospective case series.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients 17 years of age or younger from 24 centers worldwide who underwent immediate sequential bilateral vitreoretinal surgery (ISBVS)-defined as vitrectomy, scleral buckle, or lensectomy using the vitreous cutter-performed in both eyes sequentially during the same anesthesia session.

METHODS

Clinical history, surgical details and indications, time under anesthesia, and intraoperative and postoperative ophthalmic and systemic adverse events were reviewed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Ocular and systemic adverse events.

RESULTS

A total of 344 surgeries from 172 ISBVS procedures in 167 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the cohort was 1.3±2.6 years. Nonexclusive indications for ISBVS were rapidly progressive disease (74.6%), systemic morbidity placing the child at high anesthesia risk (76.0%), and residence remote from surgery location (30.2%). The most common diagnoses were retinopathy of prematurity (ROP; 72.7% [P < 0.01]; stage 3, 4.8%; stage 4A, 44.4%; stage 4B, 22.4%; stage 5, 26.4%), familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (7.0%), abusive head trauma (4.1%), persistent fetal vasculature (3.5%), congenital cataract (1.7%), posterior capsular opacification (1.7%), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (1.7%), congenital X-linked retinoschisis (1.2%), Norrie disease (2.3%), and viral retinitis (1.2%). Mean surgical time was 143±59 minutes for both eyes. Higher ROP stage correlated with longer surgical time (P = 0.02). There were no reported intraoperative ocular complications. During the immediate postoperative period, 2 eyes from different patients demonstrated unilateral vitreous hemorrhage (0.6%). No cases of endophthalmitis, choroidal hemorrhage, or hypotony occurred. Mean total anesthesia time was 203±87 minutes. There were no cases of anesthesia-related death, malignant hyperthermia, anaphylaxis, or cardiac event. There was 1 case of reintubation (0.6%) and 1 case of prolonged oxygen desaturation (0.6%). Mean follow-up after surgery was 103 weeks, and anatomic success and globe salvage rates were 89.8% and 98.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found ISBVS to be a feasible and safe treatment paradigm for pediatric patients with bilateral vitreoretinal pathologic features when repeated general anesthesia is undesirable or impractical.

Perioperative management and post-operative course in preterm infants undergoing vitreo-retinal surgery for retinopathy of prematurity: A retrospective study

Background:

Premature infants scheduled for surgery under general anesthesia are more prone to cardio-respiratory complications. Risk factors include post-conception age (PCA), cardiac and respiratory disease, anemia and opioid administration. This retrospective study evaluates the perioperative management and post-operative course (apnea and bradycardia) in premature infants undergoing surgery for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Materials and Methods:

We analyzed the pre-operative data, anesthesia chart and post-operative course of 52 former premature infants for 56 general anesthesia exposures for ROP surgery.

Results:

At the time of procedure, median PCA was 51 (36-60) weeks. 71% of the infants were above 46 weeks of PCA. Five infants had cardiac disease and four had a history of convulsion. Four infants had a pre-operative history of apneic spells. The airway was secured with either endotracheal tube (46) or supraglottic device (10). Fentanyl (0.5-1 μg/kg), paracetamol, topical anesthetic drops and/or peribulbar block were administered for analgesia. Extubation was performed in the operating room for 54 cases. Three infants had apnea post-operatively. Seven infants were shifted to neonatal intensive care unit either for observation or due to delayed recovery, persistent apneic spells and pre-existing cardio-respiratory disease.

Conclusion:

In the present study, intravenous paracetamol and topical anesthetics reduced the total intra-operative opioid requirement, which resulted in low incidence of post-operative apnea. Regional anesthesia may be considered in infants with high risk of post-operative apnea. Infants with PCA > 42 weeks and without any co-morbidity can be managed in post-anesthesia care unit.