Pediatric and Juvenile Strabismus Surgery Under General Anesthesia: Functional Outcomes and Safety

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Surgery
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Strabismus surgery in children requires careful evaluation of anesthetic and surgical safety.
• Understanding potential complications and functional outcomes is crucial for pediatric patients undergoing strabismus correction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the safety and efficacy of strabismus surgery in pediatric patients (0-18 years) under general anesthesia.
• To analyze ophthalmological parameters, including angle of deviation and stereovision, post-surgery.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series analysis of 208 children undergoing strabismus surgery (exotropia/esotropia) between 2013-2020.
• Evaluation of surgery duration, anesthesia time, intra- and postoperative complications, angle of deviation, visual acuity, and stereovision.

Main Results:

• Strabismus surgery demonstrated a significant reduction in the angle of deviation and an increase in stereovision (from 35% to over 80%).
• Intraoperative complications occurred in 53% (e.g., oculocardiac reflex), and postoperative complications in 22% (e.g., nausea, pain).
• Oculocardiac reflex was more frequent in children over 6 years old (p=0.016); longer anesthesia/surgery times did not significantly increase intraoperative complications.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric strabismus surgery under general anesthesia is safe, with acceptable surgical and anesthetic complication rates.
• The procedure effectively corrects eye alignment and enhances stereovision, with a low re-treatment rate.
• Limitations include retrospective design, non-standardized documentation, and sample size, potentially affecting findings' consistency.