title: [Autologous grafting of extraocular muscles: experimental study in rabbits].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility of autologous extraocular muscle grafting as a type of muscle expansion surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The left superior rectus muscle of twenty-nine rabbits was resected and this fragment was attached to the endpoint of the respective right superior rectus (test group). Thereafter, the superior rectus of the left eye was reattached to the sclera (control group). Both groups were examined during different postoperative periods in order to assess their outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of hyperemia was slightly more frequent in the grafted group. Secretion and muscle atrophy were negligible in both groups. Fibrosis was greater in grafted animals. These muscles were weaker than the control muscles, although the force required to split muscular parts was always greater than the physiological one.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This surgical technique was reliable and useful if one intends to achieve muscle expansion without the intrinsic risks of dealing with heterologous/artificial materials.
authors.affiliation: Doutorando do setor de Estrabismo, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. jorgemeireles1@bol.com.br
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meireles-Teixeira
authors.forename: Harley E A
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Bicas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004948:Esotropia / Q000601:surgery*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000637:transplantation*; D011817:Rabbits; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous