Flexible cannulas safest for akinesia

Article

Flexible cannulas are safest for akinesia and anaesthesia in the latest comparison study on sub-Tenon cannulas.

Flexible cannulas are safest for akinesia and anaesthesia in the latest comparison study on sub-Tenon cannulas.

A team led by Dr Waleed Riad, King Khaled Specialist Eye Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, conducted a prospective, blind, randomized comparison between metal posterior, flexible posterior and flexible medium sub-Tenon cannulas forakinesia and anaesthesia.

The investigation included 159 patients who underwent cataract surgery under sub-Tenon block. All patients received a combination of bupivacaine and lidocaine with hyaluronidase.

Patients were divided into three groups. Group 1 received a metal posterior sub-Tenon cannula, group 2 had a flexible posterior sub-Tenon cannula and group 3 had a flexible medium sub-Tenon cannula. The outcome measures included pain during injection, akinesia, anesthesia, and complications.

Two minutes after injection the akinesia score, superior oblique muscle activity, lid movements and pain during injection was significantly lower in group 1. However, after four, six, eight and ten minutes there was no significant difference between cannulas.

Intraoperative pain was low for all groups but chemosis was significantly lower in group 2 and was found to be safer than the rigid cannulas.

The abstract can be found in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

Newsletter

Join ophthalmologists across Europe—sign up for exclusive updates and innovations in surgical techniques and clinical care.

Recent Videos
Alfredo Sadun, MD, PhD, chief of Ophthalmology at the Doheny Eye Institute, University of California Los Angeles, shared exciting new research with the Eye Care Network during the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting on the subject of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).
At this year's Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, Nitish Mehta, MD, shared highlights from his research documenting real-world results of aflibercept 8 mg for patients with diabetic macular oedema.
ARVO 2025: Anat Loewenstein, MD, shares data from herself and her colleagues on meeting needs of patients with diabetic retinopathy
At the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons annual meeting, Sheng Lim, MD, FRCOphth discusses the benefit of endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation for patients with primary open angle glaucoma and cataracts in the CONCEPT study
A photo of Seville, Spain, with the Congress on Controversies in Ophthalmology logo superimposed on it. Image credit: ©francovolpato – stock.adobe.com; logo courtesy COPHy
Anat Loewenstein, MD, Professor and Director, Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, discusses the Congress on Controversies in Ophthalmology (COPHy)
Anat Loewenstein, MD, speaks about the 22nd Annual Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration Meeting in February 2025 and shares her global forecast for AI-driven home OCT
Sarah M. Thomasy, DVM, PhD, DACVO, a veterinary ophthalmologist at UC Davis, talks about how her research at the Glaucoma 360 symposium
I. Paul Singh, MD, an anterior segment and glaucoma specialist, discusses the Glaucoma 360 conference, where he participated in a panel discussion on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in glaucoma care.
Charles Wykoff, MD, PhD, discusses his Floretina ICOOR presentation topic, retinal non-perfusion in diabetic retinopathy, with David Hutton, editor of Ophthalmology Times
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.