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Changes in IOP during detachment of lateral rectus muscle may reflect degree of muscle contracture
Can J Ophthalmol. 2010;45(6):602-605.
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A study showed that changes in IOP after removing a lateral rectus muscle during exotropia surgery may serve as an indicator of the degree of muscle contracture.
The prospective study analyzed 60 eyes of 31 patients who underwent lateral rectus recession surgery for correction of exotropia. IOP was measured before and after detachment of the muscle.
Five minutes after tracheal intubation, the mean IOP was 16.3 mm Hg, but immediately before detachment of the lateral rectus, it had declined to 13.5 mm Hg. This reduction was not positively correlated with any clinical variables tested.
The mean IOP declined to 10.8 mm Hg immediately after the muscle was cut off, and this reduction was correlated with constant exodeviation. Multivariate analysis showed that the most significant factor affecting changes in IOP before and after muscle removal was constancy of exodeviation.
A key limitation to this study was the lack of analysis for other factors that could influence IOP, such as sclera rigidity and corneal thickness.