Contralateral Surgery for the Treatment of Third Nerve Palsy with Aberrant Regeneration.

PURPOSE

To report the results of contralateral recession-resection of the horizontal muscles in oculomotor nerve palsy with aberrant regeneration to correct both the strabismus and the ptosis in one procedure.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

METHODS

This is an institutional study on patients with oculomotor nerve palsy with aberrant innervation who had contralateral eye muscle surgery in 2 different centers. Patients were included if they have both exotropia and aberrant regeneration with a ptosis that improved on adduction. All patients had contralateral lateral rectus recession and medial rectus resection. Ductions, versions, angle of misalignment, and degree of ptosis were evaluated before surgery and at last follow-up.

RESULTS

Eleven patients were identified. The mean age at surgery was 15.0 ± 9.2 years. Five patients were male (45%). Trauma was the cause in 8 (72%) cases. The mean angle of exotropia was 42 ± 14 prism diopters. The mean degree of ptosis was 3.9 ± 1.6 mm. The mean lateral rectus recession was 8.2 ± 1.1 mm, and the mean medial rectus muscle resection was 6.7 ± 0.9 mm. The mean follow-up was 6.4 ± 2.5 months. After surgery, none of the patients had residual exotropia >10 prism diopters. The mean degree of ptosis after surgery was 0.9 ± 0.8 mm. None of the patients required further surgery for ptosis or strabismus.

CONCLUSION

Contralateral eye muscle in third nerve palsy with aberrant innervation offers the advantage of simultaneous correction of both strabismus and ptosis through a single procedure.