Parental perspectives and concerns regarding exotropia surgery and comparison with clinicians' predictions.

PURPOSE: To evaluate parental perspectives and concerns regarding exotropia surgery and compare them with clinicians' predictions of parental responses in Korean pediatric patients with intermittent exotropia. METHODS: This survey study included the parents of pediatric patients with intermittent exotropia who underwent surgery and clinicians at five hospitals from June 2022 to February 2023, who participated in the Survey of Parental Attitude and Concerns of Exotropia surgery (SPACE) study 1. Parental attitudes and concern about exotropia surgery were assessed using a questionnaire. Clinicians' estimation of each item corresponding to the parental questionnaire was also assessed and compared with parental responses. RESULTS: A total of 266 parents and 41 clinicians were included. More parents responded that information about surgery was most helpful or most commonly received from clinicians than clinicians estimated (P = 0.001). More parents reported actively communicating with the child about surgery than clinicians estimated (P < 0.001). Parents showed a higher level of concern for general anesthesia and the hospital environment than clinicians thought they would (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, resp.). In the postoperative follow-up items, parents showed high levels of concern regarding postoperative infection (P < 0.001), conjunctival redness (P = 0.040), persistent overcorrection (P < 0.001), and glasses wearing (P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Parental perspectives and concerns regarding pediatric intermittent exotropia surgery differed from clinicians' estimations thereof. More parents obtain information on exotropia surgery from clinicians and actively talk about surgery with their child than estimated by clinicians. Parents had a higher level of concern regarding general anesthesia, hospital environment, postoperative infection, conjunctival redness, persistent overcorrection, and glasses wearing compared with clinician estimations.

Surgical outcomes and occurrence of associated vertical strabismus during a 10-year follow-up in patients with infantile esotropia.

PURPOSE: Authors analyzed long-term surgical outcomes of infantile esotropia and the occurrence of associated strabismus, inferior oblique overaction (IOOA), and dissociated vertical deviation (DVD). Clinical factors related to the occurrence of IOOA and DVD in patients with infantile esotropia were also evaluated. METHODS: Medical records of patients with infantile esotropia, who underwent surgery between 1995 and 2008, were reviewed retrospectively. Included patients were followed for at least 10 years. The incidence and age at development of IOOA and DVD were analyzed. To evaluate predisposing factors for developing IOOA or DVD, patients were divided into two groups: those with infantile esotropia only (group A) and those who developed IOOA or DVD (group B). RESULTS: A total of 122 patients were enrolled and mean follow-up period was 16.0 years (range: 10-32 years). The mean number of surgeries was 1.7 (range: 1-5), and 64 (52.5%) patients achieved optimal horizontal alignment (esotropia <10 prism diopters [PD] and orthotropia). Fifty (41.0%) patients developed IOOA at a median age of 3 years (range: 1-21 years); 54 (44.3%) developed DVD at a median age of 5 years (range: 1-25 years). Patients in group B underwent more horizontal surgeries than those in group A (P = 0.028), and favorable surgical outcomes between the two groups were not different at final visit. There were no other significant differences in clinical factors between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Approximately, 52.5% of patients achieved favorable surgical outcomes through 1.7 surgeries during the 10-year follow-up period. DVD tended to develop at a later age than IOOA, and in some cases, up to 20 years after diagnosis of infantile esotropia. To achieve favorable horizontal alignment at final visit, patients with associated vertical strabismus underwent more horizontal muscle surgeries than patients with infantile esotropia only. The presence of IOOA/DVD may affect horizontal alignment outcomes.

Changes in Esodeviation after Inferior Oblique Recession in Patients with Refractive Accommodative Esotropia and Inferior Oblique Overaction.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the changes in esodeviation after inferior oblique (IO) recession in patients with refractive accommodative esotropia and IO overaction. METHODS: Graded IO recession was performed in 68 patients who were diagnosed with refractive accommodative esotropia with IO overaction. The patients were followed for at least 3 months after surgery and the angle of esodeviation with correction was evaluated at distance and near at each follow-up evaluation. The patients were divided into two groups: patients who underwent unilateral IO recession (UIO-Rec) and patients who underwent bilateral IO recession (BIO-Rec). The change in esodeviation after surgery was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 68 patients were enrolled in this study, with 38 patients in the UIO-Rec group and 30 in the BIO-Rec group. In the UIO-Rec group, there was no statistically significant difference in esodeviation before and after surgery. In the BIO-Rec group, esodeviation at distance increased significantly 1 day postoperatively (p = 0.033). However, esodeviation returned to the preoperative value one week after surgery (p = 0.665). Changes in esodeviation at distance were significantly greater in the BIO-Rec group than in the UIO-Rec group one day after surgery (p = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral IO-weakening surgery induced a transient increase in esodeviation in patients with refractive accommodative esotropia. However, we found no evidence that well-controlled esotropia with corrected hyperopia became decompensated after IO-weakening surgery, as induced esodeviation was minor and temporary.

Comparison of excyclotorsion following graded inferior oblique recession for primary versus secondary inferior oblique overaction.

AIM: To compare the changes in excyclotorsion after inferior oblique (IO) recession in patients with primary and secondary inferior oblique overaction (IOOA). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data obtained from patients with IOOA who underwent graded IO recession. The patients were followed up for at least 3mo after surgery. Fundus photographs were taken pre- and postoperatively, and the sum of the angles of torsion in both eyes was used to analyze changes in excyclotorsion. Patients were divided into two groups: those diagnosed with primary IOOA were enrolled in the 1'IOOA group, and those diagnosed with secondary IOOA caused by superior oblique palsy (SOP) were enrolled in the 2'IOOA group. Excyclotorsion before and after surgery were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 78 patients were enrolled in this study: 34 eyes in the 1'IOOA group and 44 eyes in the 2'IOOA group. In the 78 patients, torsional angle significantly decreased from 15.31°±7.40° to 12.11°±6.53° after IO recession (P<0.001). Mean preoperative torsional angle was larger in the 2'IOOA group than in the 1'IOOA group (P=0.03). In both groups, excyclotorsion significantly decreased after IO recession (P=0.001 and P<0.001, respectively); however, there was no significant difference in the amounts of changes in excyclotorsion between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Excyclotorsion is significantly larger in secondary IOOA than in primary IOOA, and a significant decrease in the torsional angle occurs after IO recession in both types of IOOA.

Effect of strabismus surgery on ocular axial length, anterior chamber depth, and intraocular pressure.

We evaluated changes in ocular axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and intraocular pressure (IOP) after strabismus surgery by comparing the operated and fellow eyes in patients undergoing unilateral strabismus surgery.This was a prospective study including patients who underwent unilateral strabismus surgery for exotropia alone or exotropia with unilateral superior oblique palsy. The AL and ACD using IOLMaster biometer and the IOP using non-contact tonometry were measured 1 day prior to surgery and 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively.Fourteen female and 22 male patients (mean age: 8.2 years) were included in the study. In the operated eye, the mean AL increased significantly from 23.99 mm preoperatively to 24.08 mm 1 week postoperatively (P < .001), and although the mean ACD decreased in this time, the decrease was not statistically significant. The mean IOP of the operated eye increased from 17.08 mmHg preoperatively to 20.31 mmHg at 1 week postoperatively (P = .01), as did the IOP of the fellow eye (P = .03). However, the AL and IOP of the operated eyes decreased by 1 month postoperatively. There were no significant differences in the AL, ACD, and IOP between operated and fellow eyes by 3 months postoperatively.Strabismus surgery caused significant AL elongation in the operated eye and IOP elevation in both the operated and fellow eyes immediately after surgery. However, both ocular changes were transient. The AL, ACD, and IOP did not exhibit any significant differences between operated and fellow eyes 3 months postoperatively.

Changes in refractive error and axial length after horizontal muscle surgery for strabismus.

PURPOSE: To investigate changes in refractive error following horizontal muscle surgery and to analyze the relationship between these changes and axial length. METHODS: Patients with intermittent exotropia who underwent bilateral lateral rectus recession (LR group) or unilateral lateral rectus recession with medial rectus resection (RR group) were investigated prospectively. The patients were followed for at least 3 months postoperatively; refractive error, axial length, mean corneal astigmatism, anterior chamber depth, corneal thickness, and intraocular pressure were evaluated at each examination. Postoperative changes in both groups were compared. RESULTS: A total of 64 eyes of 47 patients were included-34 eyes in the LR group and 30 eyes in the RR group. In both groups refractive error, axial length, and mean corneal astigmatism significantly increased 1 day postoperatively, although the changes in all three parameters returned to their preoperative values within 1 month of surgery and remained stable thereafter for the duration of the follow-up period. There was a negative correlation between changes in axial length and refractive error toward myopia in the 64 eyes on postoperative day 1 (partial correlation coefficient r = -0.637; P < 0.001). Changes in refractive error and axial length were significantly larger in the RR than in the LR group 1 day postoperatively (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, resp.). CONCLUSIONS: Horizontal muscle surgery induces a transient myopic shift. This is thought to be due to axial length elongation as well as changes in corneal astigmatism.

Subsequent strabismus surgeries in patients with no prior medical records.

PURPOSE: To investigate subsequent strabismus surgeries in patients with no prior medical record and to evaluate discrepancies between surgical findings and preoperative presumptions made based on patient self-reporting and clinical findings. METHODS: The medical records of patients who underwent a subsequent strabismus surgery between January 1992 and October 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with no available medical records were included in analyses. Discrepancies between preoperative presumptions and surgical findings were investigated. Original ocular alignment and previous surgical details were presumed using alternative methods, including patient self-reporting, review old photographs of patient, and checking conjunctival scarring. RESULTS: Eleven consecutive patients (4 females, 7 males) met the inclusion criteria. The mean age at subsequent surgery was 47.7 years (range, 23-69). Seven patients had exotropia and four patients had esotropia before the subsequent surgery. Seven patients reported originally having exotropia and four patients reported originally having esotropia. However, findings from surgical exploration did not agree with preoperative presumptions from patient self-reporting in 7 of 11 patients (7/11, 63.6%). These discrepancies included errors in the original type of strabismus (7/11, 63.6%), which eye was previously operated on (1/11, 9.1%), and number of prior surgeries (1/11, 9.1%). CONCLUSION: When planning a subsequent strabismus surgery in patients with no prior medical record, information obtained from the patient should be used with caution. This includes the original type of strabismus and previous surgical details.

Recurrent isolated oculomotor nerve palsy caused by schwannoma in a pediatric patient.

Isolated schwannomas of motor nerves to extraocular muscles are uncommon. In addition, most previous studies on oculomotor nerve schwannoma discuss adult patients, and pediatric cases are rare. We report a 10-year-old girl who developed recurrent oculomotor nerve palsy caused by schwannoma without any vascular malformation. Although the incidence is rare in pediatric patient, the recurrent isolated oculomotor nerve palsy due to schwannoma can develop, and it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of ocular motility disorders in pediatric patients. Careful imaging evaluation is needed to identify schwannoma due to its small size, deep location in the brain, and rarity.

The fast exodrift after the first surgical treatment of exotropia and its correlation with surgical outcome of second surgery.

BACKGROUND: To compare the rate of exodrift after a second surgery for recurrent exotropia, in patients grouped to fast versus slow exodrift after their first surgery. To determine whether there is a correlation with surgical outcome, and to evaluate the factors associated with fast exodrift. METHODS: Patients with recurrent intermittent exotropia, who underwent contralateral lateral rectus recession and medial rectus resection as the second surgery and were followed up for 24 months postoperatively between January 1991 and January 2013, were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups according to the rate of exodrift after the first surgery: Group F, patients exhibiting fast exodrift after the first surgery (> 10 prism diopters [PD] before postoperative month 6); and Group S, patients exhibiting slow exodrift after the first surgery (≤10 PD before postoperative month 6). The difference in the clinical course over the 24 months after the second surgery between the two groups and factors associated with fast exodrift were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 106 patients with recurrent exotropia were enrolled in this study. Of these, 68 (64.2%) and 38 (35.8%) patients were included in group F and S, respectively. Group F showed more exodrift compared with groups S over the 24-month postoperative period; however, there was no significant difference in the clinical course between the two groups during that time (p = 0.54, repeated-measure ANOVA). In logistic analysis, immediate postoperative deviation after the first surgery was associated with fast exodrift (p <  0.001). CONCLUSION: Although patients with recurrent exotropia had shown fast exodrift after the first surgery, no significant difference in the surgical outcome was observed after the second surgery according to the rate of exodrift after the first surgery.

Effects of Surgical Assistant's Level of Resident Training on Surgical Treatment of Intermittent Exotropia: Operation Time and Surgical Outcomes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of the surgical assistant's level of resident training on operation time and surgical outcome in the surgical treatment of intermittent exotropia. METHODS: This study included 456 patients with intermittent exotropia who underwent lateral rectus recession and medial rectus resection and were followed up for 24 months after surgery. The patients were divided into two groups according to the surgical assistant's level of resident training: group F (surgery assisted by a first-year resident [n = 198]) and group S (surgery assisted by a second-, third-, or fourth-year resident [n = 258]). The operation time and surgical outcomes (postoperative exodeviation and the number of patients who underwent a second operation) were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The average operation times in groups F and S were 36.54 ± 7.4 and 37.34 ± 9.94 minutes, respectively (p = 0.33). Immediate postoperative exodeviation was higher in group F (0.79 ± 3.82 prism diopters) than in group S (0.38 ± 3.75 prism diopters). However, repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed no significant difference in exodeviation between the two groups during the 24-month follow-up period (p = 0.45). A second operation was performed in 29.3% (58 / 198) of the patients in group F, and in 32.2% (83 / 258) of those in group S (p = 0.51). CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference in operation time was observed when we compared the effects of the level of resident training in the surgical treatment of intermittent exotropia. Although the immediate postoperative exodeviation was higher in patients who had undergone surgery assisted by a first-year resident, the surgical outcome during the 24-month follow-up was not significantly different.

Variability of preoperative measurements in intermittent exotropia and its effect on surgical outcome.

PURPOSE: To investigate the variability of preoperative measurements in patients with intermittent exotropia and to compare surgical outcomes according to the variability. METHODS: Patients who underwent unilateral lateral rectus recession and medial rectus resection and had 24 months' postoperative follow-up were enrolled. Patients were divided into three groups according to variability, which was defined as the largest angle minus the smallest angle ever measured during the preoperative visits; group C comprised patients with consistent exodeviation; group VL, patients with less variability (<10Δ); and group VM, patients with more variability (≥10Δ). Surgical outcomes of the three groups were compared. RESULTS: A total of 344 patients were included: 128 in group C, 155 in group VL, and 61 in group VM. The largest variability was 20Δ and 62.8% (216/344, group VL + group VM) of the patients showed variable angles of deviation during the preoperative measurements. The postoperative exodeviation increased in all groups over the 24-month follow-up; however, the postoperative exodeviation of group VM was lower than that of both groups C and VL (repeated-measure ANOVA, P = 0.032). There was a trend toward decreased rates of reoperation from group VM compared with groups VL and C (linear by linear association, P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: More than half of patients with intermittent exotropia showed variable angles of deviation during the preoperative measurements. The surgical outcomes were better in those with variable preoperative measurements than in those with consistent preoperative measurements.

Mitral regurgitation due to chordae tendineae rupture in an infant with aortic coarctation.

A 2-month-old male suddenly developed mitral regurgitation aggravation while waiting for surgical repair of aortic coarctation. There were no signs of infection or history of trauma. Emergency surgery was performed, during which rupture of chordae tendineae of the A2 portion of the anterior mitral leaflet was confirmed. At last follow-up, 11 months postsurgery, the patient was in an acceptable state, with continuing moderate mitral valve regurgitation. This case demonstrates an unusual but dangerous natural course of aortic coarctation and suggests an additional basis of urgent repair of aortic coarctation.

The effect of sub-Tenon lidocaine injection on emergence agitation after general anaesthesia in paediatric strabismus surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Sevoflurane is widely used for paediatric anaesthesia. However, many cases of emergence agitation after sevoflurane anaesthesia have been reported and pain was suggested as a major contributing factor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of sub-Tenon lidocaine injection on emergence agitation in children receiving sevoflurane or propofol-remifentanil anaesthesia. METHODS: We enrolled 260 children, aged 4-10 years, who were scheduled for strabismus surgery, and randomized them to one of four groups: group SS, SL, BS, and BL. Anaesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane (SS, SL) or propofol-remifentanil infusion (BS, BL). At the end of surgery, the surgeon injected into the sub-Tenon space 1 ml of isotonic saline (SS, BS) or 2% lidocaine (SL, BL). Emergence behaviour was assessed in the post-anaesthesia care unit using a 5-point scoring scale (score 1, asleep; 2, awake and calm; 3, irritable or consolable crying; 4, inconsolable crying; and 5, severe restlessness). We defined a score of 4 or 5 as emergence agitation. The incidence of emergence agitation was analysed using χ² and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The incidence of emergence agitation in group SL and BL was significantly lower compared to group SS and BS, respectively (P = 0.011, 0.019). The lidocaine-injected group showed significantly lower occurrence of emergence agitation (10.4%) than isotonic saline-injected group (27.2%; P = 0.001). Emergence agitation was significantly higher following sevoflurane (25.0%) than balanced anaesthesia (13.1%; P = 0.023). CONCLUSION: The frequency of emergence agitation is significantly reduced by sub-Tenon lidocaine injection regardless of the modality of anaesthesia used.

Vertical rectus muscles transposition in large exotropia with medial rectus muscle transection following endoscopic sinus surgery.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of transposition procedures on the vertical rectus muscle (VRM) in the patients who underwent a medial rectus muscle (MR) transection after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). METHODS: In 4 patients with exotropia (XT) and a lack of adduction after ESS, orbital CT or MRI revealed a complete transection of the midportion of the MR. Full-tendon VRM transposition was performed within 3 months after injury (early surgery) in 2 patients with 40 delta XT. Two patients with 70 delta and 85 delta XT underwent an X-type augmented Hümmelsheim procedure, which involved pulling each half-tendon and crossing it through the undersurface of the severed MR to the other end of the MR insertion, concurrently with an ipsilateral lateral rectus (LR) recession 11 months and 36 months after ESS, respectively. The adduction deficits were divided into -1 through to -8. The patients were followed up for more than than 1.5 years. RESULTS: Postoperatively, 3 patients showed orthophoria and no diplopia in the primary position. The adduction deficits improved to -3.5 or -4. One patient who underwent an X-type augmented Hümmelsheim procedure showed a residual XT of 25 delta. CONCLUSIONS: VRM transposition is effective in correcting a large XT secondary to a MR transection after ESS. When a longstanding large-angle XT with severe contracture of the ipsilateral LR and massive scarring of the adjacent tissues is present, the X-type augmented Hümmelsheim procedure coupled with an ipsilateral LR recession had an augmenting effect.

Surgical outcomes of intermittent exotropia as a function of strabismic angle.

PURPOSE: To analyze postoperative results of intermittent exotropia as a function of the difference in strabismic angles measured immediately and another time prior to the surgery. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of intermittent exotropia patients who received surgery and had differences greater than or equal to 10 prism diopters (PD) between the last preoperative measurement of strabismic angle and another previous measurement. After applying various exclusion criteria, 66 patients were entered into our study. At the last follow-up visit after surgery, we divided postoperative results into 3 categories: (1) poor; with greater than 10 PD of esotropia or angle of exodeviation of 20 PD or more (2) moderate; with 6-10 PD of esophoria/tropia or 10-19 PD exodeviation, or (3) good; with 1-5 PD of esophoria /tropia or an angle of exodeviation less than 10 PD, or orthophoria. RESULTS: Good results were higher in patients where the difference in strabismic angle was 10 PD or greater between the last measurement and any other earlier measurement. CONCLUSIONS: In cases of Intermittent exotropia where the last preoperative value of strabismic angle was greater than any previous preoperative measurement, surgical dosage based on the last preoperative measurement yielded better results.