Using Topical Anesthesia for Standing Phacoemulsification Cataract Surgery and Intraocular Lens Implantation

Introduction: To report by using topical anesthesia for standing phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation for two patients who need cataract extraction but unable to lie flat with marked cervical kyphosis due to long-standing ankylosing spondylitis and chronic uveitis. Methods: Two patients are unable to lie flat respectively during phacoemulsification underwent this technique in Jingdong and Tonghai county Hospital of Yunnan province in China. Each patient was positioned erect or semirecumbent in a standard reclining cataract surgical chair. The ceiling-mounted microscope was rotated 60 degrees from the vertical to point toward the patient. Results: The intraoperative and postoperative periods were uneventful in two patients, with good visual outcomes after surgery. Conclusion: This technique is valuable for situations where the patient requires upright positioning because of the inability to recline flat, and should be considered for cases where standard surgical positioning is not possible.