Purpose: To evaluate the use of topical anesthesia for penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) in situations where retrobulbar, peri/parabulbar, or general anesthesia are inadvisable or not readily available.
Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of a consecutive case series consisting of 8 eyes in 8 patients who had PKP with topical anesthesia between September 1995 and December 1997 in cases where retrobulbar, peri/parabulbar, or general anesthesia either could not be performed or presented too great a risk to the patient. Some cases were supplemented with small limbal injections, mild intravenous sedation (fentanyl), and/or intraocular anesthesia. In one case, intraocular 1% lidocaine was placed directly into the vitreous cavity to allow an open-sky vitrectomy.
Results: In all cases, PKP was completed without complications. All patients tolerated the procedure well and reported only mild discomfort. However, in 2 cases, an ACIOL was left in place because lens manipulation caused pain in the ciliary body and iris root areas.
Conclusions: PKP can be performed successfully with topical anesthesia in cooperative patients who have perforated corneal ulcers, significant anticoagulation, or severe medical conditions, which make alternative forms of anesthesia more risky.