Bilateral lateral rectus recession considering the tendon width in intermittent exotropia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Strabismus Surgery
• Pediatric Ophthalmology

Background:

• Intermittent exotropia is a common strabismus condition.
• Surgical recession of the lateral rectus muscle is a primary treatment.
• Predicting surgical outcomes is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of lateral rectus tendon width in predicting the surgical outcome of bilateral lateral rectus recession.
• To determine if tendon width is a reliable indicator for adjusting surgical plans in intermittent exotropia.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 45 patients (3-15 years) with intermittent exotropia undergoing bilateral lateral rectus recession.
• Calculation of actual surgical effect based on preoperative and postoperative deviation.
• Comparison of actual surgical effect with a hypothetical effect predicted by lateral rectus tendon width.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant mean difference of 2.88 PD was observed between actual and hypothetical effects of bilateral lateral rectus recession.
• This difference was not statistically significant when preoperative exodeviation was below 25 PD (P=0.086).

Conclusions:

• Lateral rectus tendon width can be a useful predictor for bilateral lateral rectus recession outcomes.
• Its predictive value is most relevant when preoperative exodeviation is less than 25 PD.