Author:
Henderson Matthew N.,Mantopoulos Dimosthenis,Wheatley Emilia I.,Hassan Omar T.,Prenner Jonathan L.,Fine Howard F.
Abstract
Background and Objective:
Postoperative pain is frequently reported following scleral buckle (SB) surgery. This study assessed the efficacy of perioperative dexamethasone on postoperative pain and opioid use following SB.
Materials and Methods:
Forty-five patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachments undergoing SB or SB and pars plana vitrectomy were randomly assigned to either standard care of postoperative oral acetaminophen and oxycodone/acetaminophen as needed or standard care plus 8 mg single-dose peri-operative intravenous dexamethasone. A questionnaire was administered on postoperative days 0, 1, and 7 to determine visual analog scale 0 to 10 pain score and number of opioid tablets consumed.
Results:
Mean visual analog scale score and opioid use were significantly lower in the dexamethasone group on postoperative day 0 compared with control (2.76 ± 1.96 vs 5.64 ± 3.40,
P
= 0.002; 0.41 ± 0.92 vs 1.34 ± 1.43,
P
= 0.016). The dexamethasone group also demonstrated significantly lower total opioid use (0.97 ± 1.88 vs 3.69 ± 5.32,
P
= 0.047). No significant differences in pain score or opioid use were observed on days 1 or 7 (
P
= 0.078;
P
= 0.311;
P
= 0.326;
P
= 0.334).
Conclusion:
Single-dose intravenous dexamethasone following SB can significantly reduce postoperative pain and opioid use.
[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
2023;54:238–242.]