Efficacy of inferior oblique anterior transposition placement grading for dissociated vertical deviation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if graded anterior placement of a transposed inferior oblique muscle is beneficial for treating variable amounts of dissociated vertical deviation (DVD). DESIGN: Retrospective, consecutive, comparative case series. PARTICIPANTS: Patients who underwent inferior oblique muscle anterior transposition (IOAT) for DVD at one institution between 1991 and 1999. METHODS: Chart review. All patients had IOAT procedures of graded placement at 1, 2, or 3 mm anterior to the inferior rectus muscle insertion or standard placement at the level of the inferior rectus muscle insertion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The effect of graded and standard placement was assessed by measuring the difference between preoperative and postoperative DVD and was defined as DVD correction. The success of surgery was judged by the residual DVD at long-term follow-up of 6 months or more. Excellent, fair, and poor outcomes were defined as residual DVD of 0 to 5 prism diopters (PD), 6 to 12 PD, and 13 or more PD, respectively. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients (106 eyes) underwent IOAT for DVD. The comparison of DVD correction for the standard versus graded group yielded significance at long-term follow-up (P = 0.001). This result became nonsignificant after adjusting for preoperative DVD (P = 0.178). The power to detect a 5-PD difference between graded and standard placement was 90%. The surgical success was similar for patients receiving graded and standard IOAT. Patients with 0 to 15 PD of preoperative DVD fared better than those with more than 15 PD of preoperative DVD. CONCLUSIONS: This study does not demonstrate increased correction of DVD with graded IOAT versus standard IOAT. We do not recommend placement of the inferior oblique muscle anterior to the inferior rectus muscle insertion. Inferior oblique muscle anterior transposition for DVD was clinically more effective for smaller amounts of DVD.

Alternating ptosis after bilateral frontalis muscle suspension for congenital ptosis.

PURPOSE: To report an unusual response to bilateral frontalis suspension surgery for congenital ptosis. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A 6-year-old child with infantile esotropia and bilateral congenital ptosis received a homologous fascia lata frontalis suspension. After surgery, the patient exhibited an alternating ptosis, caused by alternating unilateral frontalis muscle contraction, which has persisted throughout 3 years of postoperative observation. CONCLUSION: Symmetric frontalis muscle activation may not always occur after bilateral frontalis muscle suspension surgery for congenital ptosis. Amblyopia, strabismus, or fixation preference may predispose patients to use unilateral brow elevation, despite bilateral frontalis muscle suspension surgery.

High injection pressure during intralesional injection of corticosteroids into capillary hemangiomas.

BACKGROUND: Intralesional injection of corticosteroids is an effective treatment for tumors of the head and neck. Complications are rare but include permanent loss of vision. We designed a study to investigate the mechanism for this complication. METHODS: Three fellowship-trained pediatric ophthalmologists participated in the study in a nonmasked fashion. Four patients received 5 separate treatment sessions of an intralesional injection of a 50-50 mixture of triamcinolone diacetate (40 mg/mL) and betamethasone sodium phosphate and betamethasone acetate (6 mg/mL) into capillary hemangiomas. Injection pressure was obtained in real time using a cannula designed for this purpose. Maximum pressure, mean pressure, and volume of corticosteroid were measured from each injection. RESULTS: A total of 71 injections (range, 8-33 injections per patient) was performed. The total volume of corticosteroid ranged from 0.9 to 2.1 mL. In 63 of 71 injections, the maximum pressure exceeded 100 mm Hg (range, 18.65-842.18 mm Hg). Each surgeon produced injection pressures greater than the systemic arterial pressures of each patient. CONCLUSIONS: Injection pressures exceeding the systemic arterial pressures routinely occur during intralesional injections of corticosteroids into capillary hemangiomas. Experienced surgeons participating in a nonmasked protocol were unable to prevent high injection pressures of corticosteroid. A sufficient volume of corticosteroid injected at high injection pressure would account for the embolization of corticosteroid particles into the ocular circulation from retrograde arterial flow. We recommend limiting the volume of corticosteroid and performing indirect ophthalmoscopy on all patients receiving injections of long-acting corticosteroids into the orbit and periorbital soft tissue.

Pediatric orbital floor fracture : direct extraocular muscle involvement.

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical presentation, operative findings, and postoperative results of a surgical series of isolated orbital floor fractures in children. DESIGN: Noncomparative, retrospective, consecutive case series. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-four patients (34 orbits) less than 18 years of age with isolated orbital floor fractures. Indications for surgery were severe limitation of extraocular ductions, 22 of 34; enophthalmos, 8 of 34: or both, 4 of 34. INTERVENTION: Surgical repair. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cause of fracture, symptoms, clinical signs, radiographic data, operative findings, postoperative results, and complications. RESULTS: Children older than 12 years of age were more likely to sustain an orbital floor fracture as a result of interpersonal violence than were children less than 12 years of age (P: = 0.020). Sixty-two percent of patients (21 of 34) exhibited pain with eye movements and/or nausea and vomiting. Most had a trapdoor type fracture (21 of 34). The inferior rectus muscle was entrapped in the orbital floor fracture in 69% (18 of 26) of patients with a severe limitation of ocular ductions. Preoperative nausea and vomiting were immediately relieved after surgery. The median time for improvement of preoperative duction deficits and diplopia was 4 days for patients receiving surgery within 7 days and 10.5 days for those undergoing surgery after 14 days (P: = 0.030). Resolution of duction deficits or diplopia was not dependent on time of surgery if performed within 1 month of injury. Loss of vision, worsening of motility, or implant complications did not occur. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric patients with isolated orbital floor fractures who had pain, nausea, vomiting, and severe limitation of extraocular motility often have direct entrapment of the inferior rectus muscle into the fracture site. Surgical repair rapidly relieved preoperative pain, nausea, and vomiting. For patients with severe limitation of ductions, early surgical repair within 7 days of injury resulted in more rapid improvement of ductions and diplopia than surgery performed later.

Anterior transposition of the superior oblique tendon in the treatment of oculomotor nerve palsy and its influence on postoperative hypertropia.

PURPOSE: To determine whether postoperative hypertropia after anterior transposition of the superior oblique tendon without trochleotomy could be avoided with a simplified surgical approach. METHODS: Eight patients with oculomotor nerve palsy (one patient was bilaterally affected) were retrospectively identified as having undergone anterior transposition of the superior oblique tendon without trochleotomy or vertical rectus muscle surgery between March 1992 and September 1998. The superior oblique tendon was cut at the medial border of the superior rectus muscle and placed 1-3.5 mm anterior to the medial insertion of the superior rectus muscle in each of these patients. Resection of the superior oblique tendon was not performed. The lateral rectus muscle was weakened, and no vertical rectus muscles were resected. RESULTS: Preoperative deviations with the uninvolved eye fixating in primary position ranged from 20-90 prism diopters (delta) of exotropia (mean: 49.3 delta) and from 0-20 delta of hypotropia (mean: 11.25 delta). Postoperative horizontal deviations in the primary gaze position ranged from 12 delta of exotropia to 20 delta of esotropia. Six cases were aligned within 10 delta of exotropia or esotropia. Postoperative vertical deviations in the primary gaze position ranged from 2 delta of hypertropia to 8 delta of hypotropia. Six cases were aligned within 2 delta of deviation. Significant postoperative restrictive hypertropia, or new postoperative paradoxical ocular movements, did not occur in any patient. Patients who underwent follow-up >4 months maintained stable eye alignment. CONCLUSION: Transposition of the superior oblique tendon without simultaneous resection or trochleotomy, or additional surgery to the vertical rectus muscle simplifies the surgical technique and eliminates subjective decision making regarding the amount of resection.

Pressure measurements during injection of corticosteroids: in vivo studies.

Intralesional injection of corticosteroids is an effective treatment for capillary hemangiomas. Complications include embolisation of corticosteroid particles into the ocular circulation resulting in permanent loss of vision. This research is aimed at developing an injection cannula and monitoring system to prevent such inadvertent embolisation. A cannula has been designed to simultaneously estimate the pressure at its tip and the flow rate during injection. The estimation technique has previously been validated using an in vitro model. In this study, the cannula was tested in vivo with canine liver at injection flow rates of 2.5 to 21 ml min-1. The pressure generated in the tissue during injection was calculated using the technique developed. This was compared with direct in situ pressure measurements made with a coaxial outer cannula. The mean calculated pressure was seen to be linearly related to the mean measured pressure with a slope of 0.97, correlation coefficient of 0.99 and standard error of 2.74 mmHg. Similar trends were observed between the maximum calculated and maximum measured injection pressure: slope = 1.0, r = 0.99 and standard error = 5.54 mmHg. The estimation of the mean and maximum pressure from the cannula and monitoring system was accurate in canine liver. High pressures close to 250 mmHg were generated in tissues during injection.

Pressure measurements during injection of corticosteroids.

Corticosteroid injection into the orbit, eyelid and larynx is a common treatment for inflammation and neoplasm. Complications include embolisation into the ocular circulation resulting in permanent loss of vision. The overall aim of the reported research is to develop an injection cannula and monitoring system which can prevent inadvertent embolisation into the ocular circulation during injection of corticosteroids. To that end, a special cannula was designed that allows simultaneous estimation of pressure at the tip of the cannula and flow rate during injection. The cannula was tested with backpressures corresponding to physiological ranges of 0 to 125 mmHg and injection flow rates of 3 to 11 cm3 min-1. The estimated pressure at the tip of the cannula during injection of corticosteroids was compared with direct pressure measurements. The results show that the mean estimated pressure is linearly related to the mean measured pressure with a slope of 0.99 and correlation coefficient of 0.99. Statistical analyses show that with standard error of estimate (SEE) of 2.14 mmHg, the estimated pressure is well within the 95% prediction interval limits of the measured values. The estimation of pressure from the cannula and monitoring system was accurate and warrants further testing in animal models.

Female genital tract papillomavirus in conjunctival papillomas of infancy.

PURPOSE: To show the association between conjunctival papillomas present during infancy and maternal infection with human papillomavirus. METHOD: Case report of conjunctival papillomas occurring in an infant born to a mother with a human papillomavirus infection of the vulva during pregnancy. RESULT: The infant developed conjunctival papillomas caused by human papillomavirus of the female genital tract. CONCLUSIONS: Conjunctival papillomas present during infancy may be caused by vertical transmission of the human papillomavirus from mother to infant during delivery. Mothers of infants with conjunctival papillomas should be examined for diseases associated with human papillomavirus.

The association of strabismus, amblyopia, and refractive errors in spasmus nutans.

PURPOSE: Spasmus nutans is a condition that includes asymmetric nystagmus and occurs during the amblyogenic period. Because specific alterations in early visual experience are known to be associated with changes in visual development, relations between spasmus nutans and abnormal visual sequelae were examined. METHODS: The records of 18 patients with spasmus nutans were reviewed retrospectively. The incidence of strabismus, amblyopia, anisometropia, and astigmatism was compared with published age-matched control subjects. RESULTS: There was a significantly higher incidence of strabismus (10 of 18) and amblyopia (8 of 18) of the eye with the greater amplitude of nystagmus. No correlation of refractive error with lateralization of nystagmus could be established. Twelve of 18 patients required spectacles for improvement in visual acuity and for treatment of amblyopia. Best-corrected visual acuity averaged 1.20 Snellen lines poorer than age-adjusted normative values; however, loss of visual acuity was, in most cases, symmetric and not related to lateralization of nystagmus. CONCLUSION: Early detection and treatment of anticipated abnormal visual issues in patients with spasmus nutans will optimize visual outcomes.

Office probing for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction: a study of parental satisfaction.

PURPOSE: To determine parental satisfaction with nasolacrimal probings performed in the office without sedation for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of 81 consecutive children under 4 years of age who underwent nasolacrimal probings in our office. Sixty-seven caretakers of these children were contacted by telephone to determine parental satisfaction, probing effectiveness, procedural complications, and future recommendations. A comparison between parental satisfaction and patient age, probing effectiveness, and unilateral versus bilateral probings was performed. RESULTS: Most caretakers (86%) were satisfied with the procedure and most (81%) would prefer the probing to be performed in the office rather than under general anesthesia (6% were unsure). Satisfaction rates were similar between the different age groups (P > .5 by Chi-square analysis), but were slightly lower in the unsuccessful probing and bilateral probing subgroups. Parents of children who underwent both an office procedure and a subsequent procedure under general anesthesia tended to prefer the office-based technique. CONCLUSION: The majority of caretakers of children who underwent unilateral or bilateral nasolacrimal probings in the office without sedation were satisfied with the procedure and, when given a choice, preferred it over probings performed under general anesthesia.

Diagnosis and treatment of an ophthalmic artery occlusion during an intralesional injection of corticosteroid into an eyelid capillary hemangioma.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the usefulness of simultaneous indirect ophthalmoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of embolization of the ocular circulation during intralesional injection of corticosteroids into capillary hemangiomas. METHODS: A 4-month-old infant had an ophthalmic artery occlusion during an intralesional injection of corticosteroids into a right upper eyelid capillary hemangioma. The injection was discontinued immediately and a paracentesis was performed. Fluorescein angiography was performed 20 minutes and three weeks after the ophthalmic artery occlusion. RESULTS: Fluorescein angiography after the paracentesis showed delayed retinal and choroidal filling and large areas of retinal and choroidal ischemia. Three weeks after treatment, the angiographic abnormalities had resolved, and the retinal and choroidal circulations were normal. Twenty-eight months after treatment, the visual acuity was 20/20 in each eye. CONCLUSION: Ophthalmic artery occlusion can occur during intralesional injection of corticosteroids into capillary hemangiomas. Simultaneous indirect ophthalmoscopy allows the surgeon to discontinue the injection and provide treatment to allow for the best possible visual outcome after this complication.

A prospective study of ocular hypertension and glaucoma after pediatric cataract surgery.

BACKGROUND: Late-onset glaucoma can occur after pediatric cataract surgery. However, no large prospective study of the prevalence of ocular hypertension and glaucoma after pediatric cataract surgery has been performed. METHODS: A prospective glaucoma evaluation was offered to all eligible subjects at least 5 years after automated lensectomy and vitrectomy for pediatric cataracts. RESULTS: Sixty-two (58%) of 107 eligible subjects received a glaucoma evaluation. One (4.5%) of 22 patients with bilateral cataracts had glaucoma, and a much higher percentage (45%) had ocular hypertension. Five (12.5%) of 40 patients with unilateral cataracts had glaucoma, and an additional 32.5% had ocular hypertension. For patients with monocular cataracts, the age and corneal diameter at the time of cataract surgery were related to the subsequent development of ocular hypertension or glaucoma. The majority of subjects were able to cooperate with a comprehensive glaucoma examination that included cycloplegic refraction, determination of intraocular pressure, examination of the optic nerve, and fundus photography, without requiring sedation. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of ocular hypertension after pediatric cataract surgery. Children who are 5 years of age and older usually are able to cooperate with a glaucoma evaluation. The natural history of ocular hypertension after pediatric cataract surgery will be determined with longitudinal studies in the future.

Ocular and systemic manifestations of encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis.

Encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis is a congenital neurocutaneous syndrome with epibulbar choristomas and connective tissue nevi of the eyelids as common ophthalmic manifestations. Systemic manifestations occur ipsilateral to the ocular lesions and include lipomas of the cranium and central nervous system, alopecia of the scalp, and abnormalities of the central nervous system. We treated a child with encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis who required removal of an epibulbar choristoma. Pathologic evaluation of the epibulbar choristoma in our patient showed the presence of ectopic lacrimal gland tissue and cartilage. Encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis should be considered, together with Goldenhar's syndrome and sebaceous nevus syndrome, in the differential diagnosis of conditions associated with epibulbar choristomas.

Length-tension properties of extraocular muscles in patients with esotropia and intermittent exotropia.

The purpose of this study was to determine the passive length-tension characteristics of horizontal recti muscles in patients with non-restrictive horizontal strabismus. A system to measure intraoperative continuous-registration passive length-tension curves of detached extraocular muscles was designed. The size of the preoperative deviation and the change in the deviation as a result of surgery was correlated with the passive tension of the medial rectus muscle in patients with acquired esotropia. Patients with infantile esotropia or intermittent exotropia showed no relationship between passive tension and either preoperative deviation or response to surgery. Surgical recession of both the medial and lateral recti muscles produced large changes in the passive tension characteristics of both of these muscles. Medial rectus muscle recession produced larger changes in the passive tension than equal amounts of recession of lateral recti muscles.