Restriction of eye movement after surgery is an unusual but troublesome complication. A patient presented with a limitation of abduction after a 5 mm resection of medial rectus muscle and an 8 mm recession of lateral rectus muscle. Since the forced duction test was positive, restrictive factors were suggested to be implicated. A reparative operation was performed at the postoperative 9 month, and the forced duction test was negative after releasing the resected medial rectus muscle. The patient showed an improved abduction after recessing the resected muscle. Even after an uneventful surgery, resection of an extraocular muscle may cause restriction of ocular rotation caused by muscle scarring to the sclera or by an increased tightness of the muscle.
Adolescent ; Case Report ; Exotropia/*surgery ; *Eye Movements ; Human ; Male ; Ocular Motility Disorders/*etiology/*physiopathology ; Oculomotor Muscles/*physiopathology/*surgery ; Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures/*adverse effects ; Postoperative Period

PURPOSE: To report antielevation syndrome with restriction of elevation on abduction in the operated eye and overaction (OA) of the inferior oblique muscle (IO) of the contralateral eye after unilateral IO anteriorization (AT). METHODS: Medical records were reviewed retrospectively in 8 of 24 patients who underwent unilateral IOAT. Four patients were referred from other hospitals after the same surgery. RESULTS: Four patients had infantile esotropes. The rest showed accommodative esotropia, superior oblique palsy, exotropia, and consecutive exotropia. The mean amount of hyperdeviation was 16.3 PD (10~30). The mean restriction of elevation on abduction in the operated eye was -1.6 (-1~-4) and IOOA of the contralateral eye was +2.7 (+2~+3). IOAT of nonoperated eyes in 4 patients, IO weakening procedure of anteriorized eyes in 2 patients, and IO myectomy on an eye with IOAT in 1 patient were performed. Ocular motility was improved after surgery in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Unilateral IOAT may result in antielevation syndrome. Therefore bilateral IOAT is recommended to balance antielevation in both eyes. A meticulous caution is needed when performing unilateral IOAT.
Syndrome ; Retrospective Studies ; Reoperation ; Postoperative Complications ; *Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures ; Oculomotor Muscles/physiopathology/*surgery ; Ocular Motility Disorders/*etiology/physiopathology/surgery ; Infant ; Humans ; Follow-Up Studies ; Female ; Eye Movements/*physiology ; Exotropia/surgery ; Esotropia/surgery ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Adult