Better short-term visual acuity with minimally invasive strabismus surgery than standard surgery

A new minimally invasive strabismus surgery led to better short-term visual outcomes and less lid swelling than the standard limbal approach, according to Daniel Mojon, MD, FEBO.

"[Minimally invasive strabismus surgery] is performed by applying two small radial cuts along the superior and inferior muscle margin. After muscle separation from surrounding tissue, a recession or plication is performed through the resulting tunnel," he said.

Dr. Mojon, of Kantonsspital in Switzerland, retrospectively compared the new and traditional surgeries in 40 children — 20 receiving each procedure — matched at baseline for age, diagnosis and muscle being operated on. His results are published in the January issue of the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

The operating surgeon needed to convert to a limbal opening in 5% of cases, Dr. Mojon noted. At 1 day postop, visual acuity had decreased in both groups but was significantly better in the minimally invasive group (P < .001). Abnormal lid swelling was significantly more frequent in patients who underwent the traditional surgery (P < .05), Dr. Mojon said.

"Long-term results did not differ in the two groups," Dr. Mojon noted.