What's new AAPOS 2008 - The Private Eye Clinic

+/-0.08 and 0.34 +/-0.07 mm, for the S14, S24, S28 and TG100 needles, respectively
(P=0.002, One way ANOVA). For both the S14 and S28 needles, there was a
"statistically significant" P 0.05) linear trend of an increase in the depth of the pass as
the length of the pass increased (P=0.01 for the S14 and P=0.02 for the S28). A similar
trend was found with the S24 needle but the trend was not "statistically significant"
(P=0.35). No such trend was found with the TG100 needle. CONCLUSIONS: Needle
design had a definite impact on the characteristics of scleral tunnels created to simulate
those made during strabismus surgery and may influence needle selection by the
surgeon for different or various surgical circumstances, but the differences were not
such as to predicate for or against the general use of any of these four needles for
strabismus surgery.
Essential infantile esotropia in neurologically impaired pediatric patients: is
botulinum toxin better primary treatment than surgery?
Hauviller V, Gamio S, Sors MV
Binocul Vis Strabismus Q. 2007;22(4):221-6
A prospective study was performed over a 10 year period on 25 children with infantile
esotropia and neurological problems to answer this question. From November 1996 to
March 2006 they were treated with injections of botulinum toxin (Botox) of both medial
rectus muscles. Mean age was 26.4 months, (range 9-76 months) and mean initial angle
was 35 prism diopters (PD)(range 20-60 PD). RESULTS: 18 patients (72%) remained
orthotropic+/-10 PD at 29 months (range 6-59 months). Average number of injection
treatments was 1.5 per patient. The authors compared their success rates with those
obtained with primary conventional strabismus surgical procedures in 2 previously
published series. Treatment with botulinum toxin seemed to produce better results than
one surgical series and at least equally similar results to the other one. The authors
advise that because there are other advantages to the injection procedure including
superior safety and economy, they now use botulinum injections as the primary
treatment in these patients.
A comparison of hang-back with conventional recession surgery for exotropia.
Orlin A, Mills M, Ying G-S, Liu C.
J AAPOS. 2007; Dec 11(6);597.
Retrospective review of 55 pts having surgery by a single surgeon between 200-2006 for
comitant exotropia by either hang-back suspension loop or conventional surgery. Per
the authors, the hang-back technique has better exposure, shorter preceduer duration
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