The Royal College of Ophthalmologists' National Ophthalmology Database Study of vitreoretinal surgery: report 5, anaesthetic techniques.

Aims: To explore trends over time and variation in the use of anaesthetic techniques for vitreoretinal (VR) surgery in the UK.

Methods: Prospectively collected data from 13 centres contributing >50 VR operations, including either pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) or scleral buckle (SB), between May 2000 and November 2010 were retrospectively analysed. Anaesthesia was categorised as general anaesthesia (GA) or local anaesthesia (LA) and results were reported by year, centre, grade of surgeon and type of operation.