Setting up a heart rate alarm limit to decrease oculocardiac reflex during strabismus surgery in children

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate a method which may decrease the incidence and severity of oculocardiac reflex (OCR) without drugs. One hundred and sixty children undergoing strabismus surgery were allocated to two groups using double-blind randomization. OCR was defined as a decrease of more than 10% from the baseline heart rate during operation. An alarm sounded and a lamp flashed as soon as OCR occurred in group I, and neither of the above happened in group II. OCR occurred (1.151 ± 0.858) times in group I and (2.287 ± 1.371) times in group II (P < 0.05). Heart rate decreased by (23 ± 19) bpm in group I and (35 ± 28) bpm in group II (P < 0.05). The duration of OCR in group I and group II was (4.36 ± 4.26)s and (7.62 ± 6.41)s, respectively (P < 0.05). The recovery time for group I and group II was (15.36 ± 13.28)s and (32.36 ± 19.57)s, respectively (P < 0.05). The numbers of times of interruption were 8 in group I (10%) and 26 in group II (32%) (P < 0.01). This method significantly decreased the incidence and severity of OCR during strabismus surgery in children.

Keywords

strabismus surgery / oculocardiac reflex / alarm limit