Intra‐ocular pressure changes following laryngeal mask airway insertion: a comparative study

• Published in: Anaesthesia Vol. 52; no. 8; pp. 794 - 796
• Main Authors: Whitford, A. M., Hone, S. W., O'Hare, B., Magner, J., Eustace, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.08.1997; Blackwell
• Subjects: Aged; Anesthesia; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Anesthetics, Intravenous; Atracurium; Biological and medical sciences; Cataract Extraction; Equipment; laryngeal mask; Eye; intra‐ocular pressure; Female; General anesthesia. Technics. Complications. Neuromuscular blocking. Premedication. Surgical preparation. Sedation; Humans; Intraocular Pressure; Intubation, Intratracheal; Laryngeal Masks; Male; Medical sciences; Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; Propofol; Surgery; ophthalmic; Human; Eye; Surgery; Mask; General anesthesia; Complication; Larynx; Intraocular pressure
• ISSN: 0003-2409; 1365-2044
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1997.186-az0317.x

We compared the effects of the Brain laryngeal mask airway with a tracheal tube on intra‐ocular pressure. Propofol was used as induction agent and atracurium as relaxant. Twenty‐six patients with normal intra‐ocular pressure undergoing cataract surgery were randomly allocated to two groups. Group A (n = 13) had a laryngeal mask airway inserted and Group B (n = 13) had a tracheal tube inserted. Intra‐ocular pressure was measured just before insertion of the airway, 20 s after insertion and at 2 min. In the laryngeal mask airway group there were no significant changes in mean intra‐ocular pressure. In the tracheal tube group there was a significant rise in mean intra‐ocular pressure at 20 s (p = 0.0056) which returned to pre‐insertion levels at 2 min. We conclude that the laryngeal mask airway continues to have advantages over the tracheal tube for ophthalmic surgery despite the use of propofol and atracurium as anaesthetic agents.