Long-term outcomes of bilateral lateral rectus recession versus unilateral lateral rectus recession-medial rectus plication in children with basic type intermittent exotropia.

Purpose: To compare the long-term surgical outcomes between bilateral lateral rectus recession (BLR) and unilateral lateral rectus recession-medial rectus plication (RP) in intermittent exotropia.

Methods: Children who underwent BLR or RP for basic type intermittent exotropia between 2015 and 2016 with a minimum follow-up period of 2 years were retrospectively reviewed. Surgical outcomes were classified based on postoperative angle of deviation as follows: success (esodeviation ≤ 5 prism diopters [PD] to exodeviation ≤ 10 PD), and failure (overcorrection [esodeviation > 5 PD] and undercorrection or recurrence [exodeviation > 10 PD]).

Results: Of 144 patients, 90 underwent BLR and 54 underwent RP. The angle of exodeviation of the RP group steadily increased over time after the surgery. The BLR group showed an earlier exodrift and a more stable course compared to the RP group. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a better survival in the BLR group, with final success rates of 48.9% in the BLR group and 25.9% in the RP group after a mean follow-up of 2.2 years. Patients with a successful outcome had greater esodeviation at 1 week postoperatively (at distance 7.6 PD in the BLR group, 11.4 in the RP group).

Conclusions: Surgical outcomes were better in the BLR group than in the RP group. The RP group showed higher rates of recurrence of exodeviation, while the BLR group presented a more stable course. Establishing more esodeviation at postoperative week 1 in the RP group compared to the BLR group would be required to achieve successful results.