Survival analysis of 365 patients with exotropia after surgery

Abstract

PURPOSE: Few reports have included large numbers of exotropia patients. Thus, we undertook this study to perform a survival analysis of over 350 patients with exotropia and to determine which factors might affect the outcome of exotropia surgery. METHODS: The clinical records of 365 patients who underwent exotropia surgery by one surgeon were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative patient characteristics, surgical procedures performed, and early postoperative ocular alignment were evaluated as potential risk factors of surgical outcome using survival analysis. RESULTS: The estimated median time from surgery to recurrence was 48.3 months. None of the characteristics or procedures were found to be significantly associated with surgical outcome. The likelihood of a good postoperative surgical outcome was highest with an initial postoperative alignment of more than 10 prism diopters of esotropia (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Early postoperative overcorrection was the only predictor of a successful long-term outcome after exotropia surgery.