Evaluation of Greenbaum's anaesthetic technique using lignocaine with adrenaline.

The Greenbaum's technique of parabulbar anaesthesia was used to deliver 2% lignocaine with 1:200,000 adrenaline in 44 patients undergoing anterior segment types of procedures. These consisted of 22 intracapsular cataract extraction, 7 extracapsular cataract extraction and lens implant, 1 lens aspiration, 6 trabeculectomies, 1 combined trabeculectomy and extracapsular cataract extraction, 2 prolapsed iris, 2 corneal laceration, 2 hyphaema evacuation, and 1 retinal cryopexy. Three children and 41 adults were included in the study. Onset of anaesthesia was rapid and effective. Though akinesia was not always complete the surgery was always manageable. Almost all the patients had painless surgery. With this method there is virtually no risk of serious complications that may be encountered in retrobulbar and peribulbar anaesthesia such as retrobulbar haemorrhage, globe penetration and perforation, optic nerve damage, and injection into the subarachnoid space. This method is simple, safe, and effective.