Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026
07:44
Evaluation of Patients' Posture and Gait Profile After Lumbar Fusion Surgery by Video Rasterstereography and Treadmill Gait Analysis
Published on: March 23, 2019
18.8K
A modification of swimmer plot for overviewing the postoperative longitudinal course.
1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Osaka City General Hospital, 2-13-22 Miyakojimahondori Miyakojima-ku, Osaka, Japan.
JPRAS Open
|September 10, 2025
Summary
A novel graphical method using modified swimmer plots effectively visualizes long-term outcomes in pediatric congenital blepharoptosis surgery. This approach aids in understanding reoperation trends and patient follow-up challenges.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Medical Visualization
Background:
- Long-term follow-up is crucial for evaluating pediatric surgical efficacy.
- High patient dropout rates in long-term studies compromise data reliability.
- Congenital blepharoptosis requires sustained monitoring post-surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a clear graphical method for visualizing postoperative patient courses.
- To illustrate the long-term outcomes of congenital blepharoptosis surgery.
- To address challenges posed by patient attrition in follow-up studies.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 130 pediatric patients with congenital blepharoptosis.
- Utilized two modified swimmer plots to track postoperative events.
- Visualized reoperations using color changes along patient timelines (postoperative years and age).
Main Results:
- Most reoperations occurred over 9 years post-initial surgery.
- Secondary surgeries predominantly happened between ages 10-20.
- Reoperation age distribution showed a sigmoidal pattern, peaking around 15.6 years.
Conclusions:
- Modified swimmer plots offer a valuable tool for longitudinal outcome visualization.
- This graphical method can reveal trends missed by traditional analyses.
- Effective visualization aids in managing long-term pediatric surgical follow-up.
