Effects of local anesthesia with bupivacaine plus epinephrine on blepharoptosis and levator palpebrae muscle function.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of local anesthesia with bupivacaine plus epinephrine on the extent of blepharoptosis and levator palpebrae muscle function.

METHODS

: In this prospective interventional case series, patients with blepharoptosis who were candidates for aponeurotic surgery were included. After initial preparations in the operating room, a total of 1 ml of a mixture of bupivacaine 0.5% plus epinephrine 1:100,000 were injected into the upper eyelid. The margin reflex distance 1 (MRD1) and the extent of levator muscle function were measured before and 2, 5, 10, and 15 minutes after injection.

RESULTS

A total of 36 eyes including 21 men (58.3%) and 15 women (41.7%) with an average age of 41.81 ± 23.09 (17-83 years) were studied. There were 21 eyes with myogenic and 15 eyes with aponeurotic blepharoptosis. The mean MRD1 was 1.18 ± 1.06 mm before injection and -0.02 ± 0.85, 0.52 ± 0.98, 0.98 ± 1.05, and 1.02 ± 1.06 mm at 2, 5, 10, and 15 minutes after injections, respectively. The changes in the MRD1 measurements were statistically significant at all time points. The MRD1 values decreased during the first 2 minutes after injection in 88.8% of eyes, but returned to initial value after 15 minutes in 84.3%. The change in the levator muscle function measurements was statistically significant at 2 and 5 minutes after injections; however, the differences were clinically negligible.

CONCLUSIONS

: The local anesthesia of the eyelid with 1 ml bupivacaine plus epinephrine causes a temporary increase of blepharoptosis within the first few minutes with minimal effect on levator muscle function measurements.