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Published on: December 16, 2022
Dissociated horizontal deviation after traumatic brain injury
Tae-Eun Lee1, Deok-Sun Cha, Seong-Beom Koh
1Department of Ophthalmology, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
Insights
A young boy developed significant exotropia following a traumatic brain hemorrhage and subsequent surgery. Surgical intervention successfully realigned his eyes, resolving the major deviation.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neurology
- Trauma Surgery
Background:
- A 4-year-old boy presented with significant exotropia after a traumatic brain hemorrhage.
- The patient had a history of decompressive craniectomy and cranioplasty 18 months prior.
Observation:
- Pre-operative assessment revealed large angle exotropia exceeding 50 prism diopters (PD) in the left eye and 30 PD in the right eye.
- Brain imaging showed hypodense changes in the right middle cerebral artery and anterior cerebral artery territories, with subfalcian herniation.
Findings:
- The patient underwent surgical correction with a left lateral rectus recession and left medial rectus resection.
- Post-operatively, orthotropia was achieved on Hirschberg testing, with residual small deviations noted on alternate prism cover testing.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential for dissociated horizontal deviation following traumatic brain injury and neurosurgery.
- Surgical management can effectively address significant strabismus secondary to intracranial pathology.
- Early recognition and intervention are crucial for managing post-traumatic ocular motility disorders.
Abstract:
A 4-year-old boy visited the hospital with exotropia after brain hemorrhage caused by trauma. He had undergone decompressive craniectomy and cranioplasty 18 months prior to presentation at our hospital. An alternate prism cover test showed more than 50 prism diopters (PD) of left exotropia when he was fixing with the right eye and 30 PD of right exotropia when he was fixing with the left eye at near and far distance. On the Hirschberg test, 60 PD of left exotropia was noted in the primary position. Brain computerized tomography imaging performed 18 months prior showed hypodense changes in the right middle cerebral artery and anterior cerebral artery territories. Subfalcian herniation was also noted secondary to swelling of the right hemisphere. The patient underwent a left lateral rectus muscle recession of 7.0 mm and a left medial rectus muscle resection of 3.5 mm. Three weeks after the surgery, the Hirschberg test showed orthotropia. On alternate prism cover testing, 8 PD of left exotropia and 8 PD of right esotropia were noted at distance. We report a patient who developed dissociated horizontal deviation after right subfalcian subdural hemorrhage caused by trauma.
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