A controlled clinical interventional trial comparing 2% chloroprocaine-bupivicaine versus 2% lidocaine-bupivicaine for retrobulbar anesthesia in scleral buckling surgery.

Objective: We undertook this prospective study to compare the relative effectiveness of a bupivicaine mixture with either lidocaine or chloroprocaine for retrobulbar anesthesia in scleral buckling surgery, since chloroprocaine, in some types of nonocular nerve block anesthesia, has been demonstrated to be a more effective nerve block anesthetic.

Design: This prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled, clinical, unicentre, interventional trial compared mixtures of lidocaine-bupivacaine with chloroprocaine-bupivacaine in scleral buckling surgery performed by 1 surgeon during a 12-month period.

Participants: A total of 136 patients who underwent scleral buckling surgery constituted the cases studied.

Methods: A total of 31 variables comprising surgical, anesthetic, and patient-centered data were analyzed to determine which drug combination was more efficacious.

Results: No statistically significant differences were found between chloroprocaine and lidocaine mixtures for retrobulbar anesthesia in scleral buckling surgery from the point of view of the surgeon, anesthetist, or patient.

Conclusions: We found no difference in effectiveness for bupivicaine mixed with either lidocaine or chloroprocaine for retrobulbar anesthesia in scleral buckling surgery. Surgeon, anesthetist, and patient-centered data showed no differences in any of the measures studied.