title: Strabismus surgery using the adjustable suture technique.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the results of adjustable suture technique used in horizontal muscle surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-eight charts of patients who underwent strabismus surgery between the years 1993 and 1995 were examined retrospectively. The study included 35 cases of esotropia (ET), and 43 cases of exotropia (XT). The results of strabismus surgery were measured and compared 1 day after adjustment; the final results between 6 and 24 months after the surgical procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjustment was required in 39% of all patients. The highest rate of adjustment was required in patients who underwent monocular surgery for XT (51%), and the lowest rate of adjustment was undertaken in patients who underwent monocular surgery for ET (16%). Mean changes in the angle of deviation between 1 day after surgery to the last follow up was 2.2 prism diopters (delta) (+/-11.2 delta) for cases of esotropia, and 4.6 delta (+/-8.7 delta) for exotropia. The most significant drift was found in patients with XT who underwent binocular surgery 6.8 delta (+/-0.9 delta) and the smallest drift was found in patients with ET who underwent binocular surgery 5.2 delta (+/-5.6 delta).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Esotropic and exotropic patients have a tendency to drift towards their original deviation postoperatively. It is possible, therefore, that mild overcorrection in the early postoperative period will result in better long-term results.
authors.affiliation: Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wygnanski-Jaffe
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wysanbeek
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bessler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spierer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004948:Esotropia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005099:Exotropia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D016896:Treatment Outcome