Two surgical procedures equally effective in treating superior oblique muscle palsy, study shows

Issue: August 25, 2012

Among patients with unilateral congenital superior oblique muscle palsy, two procedures for surgical intervention to the vertical muscles alone were found to be equally effective, according to a study.

“Our study results show that myectomy and concomitant inferior oblique disinsertion or myectomy and concomitant inferior oblique disinsertion and superior rectus recession of ipsilateral eye are effective, convenient, reliable, and successful methods in patients with unilateral congenital superior oblique muscle palsy,” the researchers wrote.

Surgical results and residual symptoms were analyzed for 48 study participants with oblique muscle palsy who had surgical intervention to the vertical muscles alone from May 2004 through April 2010. All participants were followed for a minimum of 6 months postoperatively.

Myectomy and concomitant disinsertion of the inferior oblique muscle were performed in 38 patients, and myectomy and concomitant inferior oblique disinsertion and recession of the superior rectus muscle in the ipsilateral eye were performed in 10 patients.

Results showed that 74% of patients who had a myectomy and concomitant inferior oblique disinsertion achieved an “excellent” result, compared to 50% of those who had myectomy and concomitant inferior oblique disinsertion and ipsilateral superior rectus recession. In addition, 21% compared with 20% had a “good” result and 5% compared with 30% had a “poor” result postoperatively.

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Source:

J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2012;49(2):103-108.