Effect of preoperative stability of alignment on outcome of strabismus surgery for infantile esotropia

Abstract

Introduction: Some strabismus surgeons wait until the angle of deviation stabilizes prior to operating on patients with infantile esotropia. This study evaluated whether a preoperative increase in the angle of deviation affected surgical outcomes.

Methods: This was a retrospective comparative case series in which records of patients with infantile esotropia, who had surgery performed before age 2 years and who were followed for at least 2 years postoperatively, were reviewed to identify two groups for comparison: the first had </=5(Delta) change in the angle of deviation between the first office visit and time of surgery; the second had a >/=10(Delta) increase in the angle of deviation prior to surgery. In the latter group, surgery was performed for the angle present at the time of surgery. Outcomes were considered successful if the patients had microtropias.

Results: Fifteen patients were identified in each group. The interval between the first office visit and time of surgery was the same in both groups (mean, 2 months). Outcomes were successful in 11 of 15 (73%) in each group (no significant difference, p = 0.659).

Conclusions: There was no difference in outcome between children whose angles of deviation were stable and those whose angles increased prior to surgery. This indicates that strabismus surgery does not need to be delayed while waiting for the angle of deviation to stabilize. Surgical correction may therefore be achieved at an earlier age, which may have a beneficial effect on outcome.