New Technologies in Ophthalmology

Minimally Invasive Strabismus Surgery for Rectus Muscle Posterior Fixation
Daniel S. Mojon

Department of Strabismology and Neuro-Ophthalmology, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

Address of Corresponding Author

Ophthalmologica 2009;223:111-115 (DOI: 10.1159/000180279)

  Key Words

• Strabismus surgery
• Minimally invasive surgery
• Minimally invasive strabismus surgery
• Conjunctival opening
• Rectus muscle posterior fixation

  Abstract

Aims: To present a novel, minimally invasive strabismus surgery (MISS) technique for rectus muscle posterior fixation. Methods: This study reports the results of 32 consecutive MISS rectus muscle posterior fixation surgeries performed on 19 patients by applying only two small L-shaped openings where the two retroequatorial scleromuscular sutures were placed. Results: On the first postoperative day, in primary position, redness was hardly visible in 16 eyes (50%) and only moderate redness was visible in 6 eyes (19%). No serious complication occurred. Preoperative visual acuity and refraction remained unchanged at 6 months (p > 0.1). The preoperative convergence excess (n = 13) decreased from 10.3 ± 4.1 to 5.2 ± 4.0° at 6 months (p < 0.005). In all patients operated on for gaze incomitance (n = 6) improvement was achieved at 6 months. Conclusions: This study shows that keyhole minimal-dissection rectus muscle posterior fixation surgery is feasible and effective to improve ocular alignment. The MISS technique seems to be superior in the direct postoperative period since only minimal conjunctival swelling and no corneal complications were observed.

Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Prof. Dr. med. Daniel Mojon
Department of Strabismology and Neuro-Ophthalmology
Kantonsspital
CH-9007 St. Gallen (Switzerland)
Tel. +41 71 494 28 24, Fax +41 71 494 28 82, E-Mail daniel.mojon@kssg.ch

  Article Information

The president of the Ethical Committee of the Canton of St. Gallen approved the use of this new surgical technique.

Received: August 6, 2008
Accepted: August 21, 2008
Published online: December 10, 2008
Number of Print Pages : 5
Number of Figures : 2, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 20