Anesthesia in the Ophthalmology Clinic for Infants Younger Than 1 Year Undergoing Retinoblastoma Treatment. Review of 888 Cases

BACKGROUND: Safety data for infants under 12 months undergoing anesthesia in clinic settings is limited. Retinoblastoma, the most common pediatric intraocular cancer, often requires general anesthesia for outpatient ophthalmology procedures in a clinic setting. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 888 anesthesia encounters in 237 infants (< 12 months) undergoing clinic visits at MSKCC (2014-2024) for the diagnosis and localized intraocular treatment of retinoblastoma. The primary outcome was the incidence of anesthesia-related complications requiring readmission within 24 h. Secondary outcomes included anesthesia duration, recovery time, airway management approach, and use of opioid or non-opioid analgesia. RESULTS: No anesthesia-related readmissions occurred. Median anesthesia duration was 43 min (0-6 months) and 36 min (7-< 12 months); median recovery times were 36 and 25 min, respectively. Laryngeal mask airways were used in 824 (93%) cases. CONCLUSIONS: General anesthesia in outpatient clinic settings can be safe for infants with retinoblastoma undergoing non-narcotic-requiring localized intraocular treatment procedures.