Attenuation of the oculocardiac reflex after topically applied lignocaine during surgery for strabismus in children

The effect of topical lignocaine applied to the eye muscles, on the incidence of the oculocardiac reflex during squint surgery of the medial rectus was investigated in 56 healthy children aged between 3-14 years. Three groups were studied. One (n = 16): stimulation of the reflex without lignocaine; 2 (n = 10): stimulation of the reflex after topical administration of 1 mg kg−1 lignocaine 2% to the medial part of the eye after induction of anaesthesia; 3 (n = 30): stimulation of the oculocardiac reflex without, and after a 5 min interval under the influence of lignocaine. Topical administered lignocaine significantly attenuated the OCR (105 vs. 68 bpm group II vs. group I:82 vs. 63 bpm in group III). Severe bradycardiac rhythm disturbances, in particular cardiac stand-still, were not observed after lignocaine had been applied. Systemic side effects of lignocaine were not seen.