Do the existing systemic diseases overstate anaesthetic intervention during cataract surgery under local anaesthesia? An observational study to correlate the association

CONTEXT: The objective was to study the extent of anaesthetic intervention and its association with systemic comorbidities. The secondary objectives were to estimate the prevalence of systemic comorbidities in age-related cataracts. AIMS: To determine the prevalence of systemic comorbidities in cataract surgery patients and association with anaesthesiologists' intervention. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Prospective observational study. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The study was done inatertiary care hospital over a period of 3 months. Adult and consenting patients were included and those having sensitivity or toxic reaction to local anaesthetics, uncooperative, and paediatric patients were excluded. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The sample size (717) was calculated according to the formula for the finite population. The total number of patients suffering from comorbidities, adverse events during surgery, and events attended by an anesthesiologist with percentages were calculated. RESULTS: Of the 717 patients studied, comorbidities were associated with 385 (53.69%) patients; among which hypertension was most frequent and found in 174 (20.30%). As much as 113 (15.72%) patients had adverse events during surgery and required intervention by the attending anaesthesiologist in which 26 (15.72%) patients required drug administration for stabilization of condition of the patient. CONCLUSIONS: From this study, we conclude that there is a correlation between prevalent comorbidities and active intervention by the attending anaesthesiologist in patients undergoing cataract surgery.