Korean J Ophthalmol.  2009 Dec;23(4):277-280. 10.3341/kjo.2009.23.4.277.

Comparison of the Stability of Postoperative Alignment in Sensory Exotropia: Adjustable Versus Non-Adjustable Surgery

• Park YC
• Chun BY
• Kwon JY

• KMID: 754763
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/kjo.2009.23.4.277

Abstract

PURPOSE
To compare the success rates and stabilities of postoperative alignment between adjustable and the non-adjustable surgeries in the treatment of sensory exotropia.
METHODS
A retrospective analysis was performed on all patients with sensory exotropia who had undergone unilateral lateral rectus recession and medial rectus resection (R&R) between January 1998 and August 2005. Thirty-four patients underwent conventional R&R, and 20 patients underwent R&R with adjustable suture of the lateral rectus. The surgical results between the two groups were analyzed with regard to the preoperative and post-operative deviation angles and the postoperative drift. The postoperative deviation angle was measured on postoperative day 1 as well as at two weeks, three months, six months and the final visit after surgery.
RESULTS
There were no statistically significant differences in the mean preoperative and postoperative deviation angles between the two groups. In 30 (88%) patients in the non-adjustable group and 15 (75%) patients in the adjustable group, postoperative deviation was less than 15 prism diopters (PD) at the three month follow-up. There was no significant difference in the mean postoperative drift between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Strabismus surgery with adjustable sutures did not show a significantly better result than surgery without adjustable sutures in the treatment of sensory exotropia. Considering the amount of postoperative exodrift in both groups, we postulate that the immediate ocular alignment after surgery for sensory exotropia should be orthophoric or 5-6 PD of esodeviation.

Keyword

Adjustable surgery; Postoperative drift; Sensory exotropia; Unilateral lateral rectus recession and medial rectus resection

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Child
Exotropia/physiopathology/*surgery
Eye Movements/*physiology
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Oculomotor Muscles/physiopathology/*surgery
Postoperative Period
Retrospective Studies
*Suture Techniques
Time Factors
Treatment Outcome
Young Adult

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Mean preoperative, postoperative and follow-up alignments for each group. PD=prism diopters.

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