Results of Unilateral Lateral Rectus Recession Surgery in 15 - 30 PD Intermittent Exotropia.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the surgical outcomes of unilateral lateral rectus muscle recession (ULR) with low surgical dosage in patients with intermittent exotropia (IXT) of 15 - 30 prism dioptres (PD). METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 92 eyes of 92 patients who underwent ULR surgery with the diagnosis of IXT of 15 - 30 PD at distance fixation between January 2017 and June 2019. ULR surgery of 6.5 mm was performed for exotropia of 15 - 20 PD, 7.5 mm for that of 20 - 25 PD, and 8.5 mm for that of 25 - 30 PD and postoperative results were evaluated at the 1st week, 1st month, 6th month, and the 2nd year. Orthophoria or IXT less than 10 PD was accepted as successful. RESULTS: The mean preoperative deviation angle at distance was 22.3 ± 4.4 PD. Mean postoperative deviation angles at distance were 2.5 ± 1.7, 3.9 ± 2.4, 6.5 ± 3.0, and 8.7 ± 3.1 at 1 week, 1 month, 6 months, and 2 years, respectively. The surgical success rate of ULR was 100, 96.7, 84.7, and 77.1% at the 1st week, 1st month, 6th month, and the 2nd year, respectively. In the long-term results, there were no complications such as lateral gaze incomitance, overcorrection, or deterioration in stereopsis. CONCLUSION: Using the ULR technique, we were able to obtain effective surgical results in IXT with less surgical dosage and without any serious complications. ULR surgery can be used as an effective method in patients with IXT of 15 - 30 PD.

Facilitated Tenon-Free Conjunctival Autograft Preparation and Limited Tenon Removal Technique in Pterygium Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The main complication of primary pterygium surgery is the recurrence of the pterygium. In the present study, we aimed to compare a classical technique and facilitated tenon-free conjunctival autograft preparation and a limited tenon removal technique in pterygium surgery in terms of recurrence rate, complications, and operation duration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective, comparative, observational study. Group 1 comprised 120 eyes of 115 patients who underwent pterygium excision with a new facilitated tenon-free conjunctival-limbal autograft preparation and limited tenon removal technique between May 2017 and October 2019. Group 2 comprised 117 eyes of 113 patients who underwent pterygium excision with a conventional conjunctival-limbal autograft technique between January 2016 and May 2017. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time after surgery was 18.2 ± 5.8 months in group 1 and 19.1 ± 6.3 months in group 2 (p = 0.25). The mean operation duration was 5.54 ± 1.22 (4 - 7) minutes in group 1 and 8.23 ± 1.26 (8 - 10) minutes in group 2 (p = 0.02). Flap edema was present in 33 eyes (28.2%) in group 2 and in 11 eyes (9.16%) in group 1. Flap edema was significantly higher in group 2 (p < 0.001). At the end of the 1-year follow-up of the patients, we observed recurrence in only one (0.83%) eye in group 1 and 14 (11.96%) eyes in group 2. The recurrence rate of group 1 was significantly less than that of group 2 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The simplified technique of tenon-free conjunctival autograft preparation and limited tenon removal yielded better clinical outcomes without serious complications. Additionally, this technique shortened the surgical time and reduced surgeon-dependent factors.