INTRACAMERAL OPIOID INJECTION FOR OPHTHALMIC PAIN MANAGEMENT IN DOGS

Abstract

Intracameral injection is a technique for ophthalmic treatments, as well as a route of administration to anesthetize the globe. Intracameral opioids can be an alternative for postoperative pain management. However, there are no reports regarding the action and effects of these agents via this route of administration. This study aims to evaluate the viability and efficiency of methadone and morphine via intracameral injection in dogs. Eight dogs will be submitted to intravenous general anesthesia with propofol and subsequently allocated into one of the experimental groups: Intracameral groups (GMIC e GNIC), in which the animals will receive 0.3 mL of the opioids, or intravenous groups (GMIV e GNIV), which will receive 0,3 mL of the opioid diluted in 4.7 mL of lactated Ringer's solution. Following injection, HR, RR, SAP, subjective pain evaluation scale, ST, PD, IOP, FT, and CTT will be evaluated at intervals T0 (baseline), T30 (30 minutes after injection) and T240 (240 minutes after injection). IOP and FT will not be evaluated at intervals T60, T90, T120 and T180. Moreover, the incidence and type of local and/or systemic complications and duration of the effect of the opioid on the cornea will be evaluated. The numeric variables will be submitted to repeated measures ANOVA and the means will be compared using Tukey`s test following residual analysis to verify normality and homogeneity of the variances. The numeric variables which do not conform to the prerequisites of analysis of variance and ordinal categories will be compared using Friedman test followed by post-hoc Dunn`s test, whereas the nominal variables will be compared using Cochran's Q test. Analysis will be performed using SAS software and will be considered significant when P < 0.05.