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
Christine Curcio, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, shares histology update and revised nomenclature for OCT with Sheryl Stevenson of the Eye Care Network and Ophthalmology Times
SriniVas R. Sadda, MD, FARVO, shares key points from his retina presentation at the International SPECTRALIS Symposium
Robert Sergott, MD, describes fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy (FLIO) and the International SPECTRALIS Symposium – And Beyond (ISS) in Heidelberg, Germany.
Rayaz Malik, MBChB, PhD, a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, spoke with Ophthalmology Times Europe about his presentation. It's titled "An eye on neurodegenerative diseases: Challenging the dogma" at the International SPECTRALIS Sympsoium. In conversation with Hattie Hayes, Ophthalmology Times Europe
Anat Loewenstein, MD, describes her presentation on remote imaging for age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy at the International SPECTRALIS Symposium, in conversation with Hattie Hayes of Ophthalmology Times Europe
Tyson Brunstetter, OD, PhD, a US Navy Aerospace Optometrist at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, shares key takeaways from his keynote at the International SPECTRALIS Symposium (ISS)
Rayaz Malik, MBChB, PhD, shares his presentation, titled An eye on neurodegenerative diseases: Challenging the dogma, at this year's International SPECTRALIS Symposium
At the Retina World Congress, Siegfried Priglinger, MD, speaks about ensuring the best outcomes for preschool-aged patients
At the 2025 ASCRS meeting, Robert Ang, MD said small aperture IOLs can benefit all patients, especially those with complex corneas or who have undergone previous corneal refractive surgery
Viha Vig, MBChB graduate student at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, discusses her poster presentation on the relationship between mitochondiral disease, Alzheimer disease, and other types of dementia.
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.