Risk Factors Associated with Postoperative Discomfort After Ambulatory Strabismus Surgery Under General Anesthesia

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate postoperative discomfort in patients undergoing ambulatory strabismus under general anesthesia, and to identify risk factors associated with the discomfort.

Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 210 consecutive patients undergoing ambulatory strabismus under general anesthesia. Postoperative discomfort including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and headache was recorded and quantified. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were performed to detect the risk factors associated with postoperative discomfort.

Results: Of 210 participants, 199 (94.76%) patients experienced mild discomfort after ambulatory strabismus surgery under general anesthesia, and 31 (14.76%), 11 (5.24%), 60 (28.57%), 23 (10.95%) patients suffered from nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and headache, respectively. A multivariate analysis indicated that female sex, the surgery on inferior rectus, and the surgery on inferior oblique were the independent risk factors for postoperative vomiting while, mild anxiety was the independent risk factor for postoperative dizziness.

Conclusion: Patients undergoing ambulatory strabismus surgery tended to experience postoperative nausea and dizziness. Female sex, the surgery on inferior rectus, mild anxiety, and the surgery on inferior oblique were the independent predictors of postoperative discomfort.

Keywords: ambulatory surgery; dizziness; postoperative nausea and vomiting; related factors; strabismus surgery.