Vitrectomy: a new challenge for the anesthesiologist
A new surgical procedure, vitrectomy, for the alleviation of blindness caused by previously intractable vitreous disease, is described. Special demands of vitrectomy upon the anesthesiologist are enumerated. Problems presented by a patient population, 83% of whom suffered from severe diabetes mellitus and/or hypertension with a variety of complications, are discussed. The anesthetic technique used on 47 patients undergoing vitrectomy is described.