The relationship between preoperative alignment stability and postoperative motor outcomes in children with esotropia

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the effect of preoperative alignment stability on postoperative motor outcomes in children who underwent surgery for esotropia.

Methods: One hundred sixty-seven subjects (68 with infantile esotropia and 99 with acquired esotropia) aged less than 6 years had surgery after completing 18 weeks of follow-up as part of an observational study. Preoperative alignment was classified as stable, uncertain, or unstable, based on measurements taken at baseline and every 6 weeks for 18 weeks. Distance alignment measured by prism and alternate cover test was compared among stability classification groups at 6 weeks and 6 months after surgery.

Results: Among subjects with infantile esotropia, median 6-week postoperative deviation was 2(Delta), 6(Delta), and 2(Delta) for subjects with stable, uncertain, and unstable preoperative alignment, respectively (p = 0.73 for stable vs unstable). Median 6-month postoperative deviation was 1(Delta), 9(Delta), and 1(Delta) for stable, uncertain, and unstable, respectively (p = 1.00 for stable vs unstable). Among subjects with acquired esotropia, median 6-week postoperative deviation was 6(Delta), 4(Delta), and 4(Delta) for subjects with stable, uncertain, and unstable preoperative alignment, respectively (p = 0.69 for stable vs unstable). Median 6-month postoperative deviation was 8(Delta), 4(Delta), and 6(Delta) for stable, uncertain, and unstable, respectively (p = 0.22 for stable vs unstable).

Conclusions: Postoperative alignment at 6 weeks and 6 months appears similar in children with stable versus unstable preoperative esotropia. Nevertheless, our finding should be interpreted with caution due to small sample size.