5 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U L Y 2 0 1 9
T
he refractive
eye procedure
was sched-
uled to begin
in about 20
minutes, just enough time
for the sedative effects of
the sublingual tablets to
take effect. Michael
Greenwood, MD, looked
on as a nurse opened a
two-pack of tablets. Things
got a little hazy after that.
"I vaguely recall someone
in the OR telling a joke and
another person in the
room saying the procedure
went perfectly," remem-
bers Dr. Greenwood, an
ophthalmic surgeon at Vance Thompson Vision in Fargo, N.D.
Dr. Greenwood was the one sitting in the stretcher chair, not stand-
ing next to it, when the nurse slid 2 tablets under his tongue. The
tablets slowly dissolved, sending a steady stream of the sedative mida-
zolam, the analgesic ketamine and the antiemetic ondansetron into
his bloodstream. The worry of surgery slipped away in minutes, and
he soon become blissfully unaware of his surroundings.
Should You Go IV-Free?
Oral sedation promises to improve efficiencies and
increase patient satisfaction in busy eye centers.
• GOOD BEGINNING Patients appreciate avoiding IV starts, perhaps the
most stress-inducing part of surgery.
Michael
Greenwood,
MD
Daniel Cook | Executive Editor
