Intraoperative adjustable suture surgery for bilateral superior oblique palsy

The modified Harada-Ito procedure has been reported to be an effective treatment for correction of cyclotorsion in bilateral superior oblique palsy. However, there are no reports regarding its use in intraoperative adjustable suture surgery.

The authors performed a retrospective study of 12 patients with traumatic bilateral superior oblique palsy who were classified as having either symmetric or asymmetric palsy according to the symmetry of the alternate hyperdeviation on side gazes. Cyclotorsion and vertical and horizontal deviation in the nine diagnostic positions were measured preoperatively and postoperatively.

Of the 12 patients, 6 were determined to have symmetric palsy and 6 asymmetric palsy. Intraoperative adjustable suture surgery with the modified Harada-Ito procedure was performed bilaterally in the six patients with symmetric palsy and unilaterally in those with asymmetric palsy. The median measured value of extorsion in the primary position was reduced from 14.5 degrees to 2.5 degrees in patients with symmetric palsy and from 9.5 degrees to 2.0 degrees in those with asymmetric palsy. In downgaze, some degree of residual extorsion remained, and there was no significant change in esodeviation after surgery. In five patients with symmetric palsy and in all of those with asymmetric palsy, normal single binocular vision in the primary position but did not that in downgaze was restored after surgery.

Intraoperative adjustable suture surgery is an effective treatment in correcting torsion, but may not be as effective for esodeviation in downgaze.