Clinical efficacy of the partial rectus muscle transportation procedure for paralytic strabismus

To analyze the clinical efficacy of the partial rectus muscle transportation (PRT) procedure for paralytic strabismus due to single rectus muscle palsy.

In total, 28 patients (31 eyes) who underwent the PRT procedure for paralytic strabismus due to single rectus muscle palsy were retrospectively examined. The following data were collected pre- and postoperatively: angle of deviation in the primary position, presence of diplopia in the primary position, presence of compensatory head posture, and motility of the affected eye. The follow-up period was 6mo.

Based on the preoperative and intraoperative findings, different operations were performed: 2 eyes were treated with PRT, 26 eyes were treated with PRT combined with the recession of the antagonist muscle (Am) of the paralytic rectus muscle, and 3 eyes were treated with PRT along with the recession of the Am and the yoke muscle (Ym). On the first day after the operation, 24 patients were found to be orthophoric in the primary position, without diplopia or abnormal head posture. Moreover, 2 patients with monocular lateral rectus muscle palsy had mild overcorrection to 5 prism diopters (PD) and 8 PD, respectively, whereas 2 patients with binocular lateral rectus muscle palsy had mild undercorrection to 8 PD and 10 PD, respectively. During the 6-month follow-up period, the mean deviation was rectified from 96.79±41.21 PD to 0.64±2.38 PD (t=12.48, P<0.001), whereas the deviations in the 2 patients with mild overcorrection were corrected to orthotropia. The mean preoperative limitation of motility improved from -4.55±0.51 to -2.65±0.61 (t=-15.13, P<0.001) after 6mo postoperatively.

PRT is an effective treatment for complete paralytic strabismus due to single rectus muscle palsy, and can achieve stable clinical efficacy.