Vitrectomy: a new challenge for the anesthesiologist.

A new surgical procedure, virtectomy, for 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 percent of whom suffered from severe diabetes mellitus and/or hypertension with a variety of complications, are discussed. Anesthetic technic used for 47 patients undergoing vitrectomy is described.