Botulinum toxin injection without electromyographic guidance in consecutive esotropia

Abstract

Purpose To investigate the efficacy of botulinum toxin injection without electromyographic guidance for the treatment of consecutive esotropia. Methods A retrospective study was performed on 49 subjects with consecutive esotropia who received botulinum toxin injection in the medial rectus muscles without the use of electromyographic guidance. Treatment was considered successful if the final ocular alignment was orthotropic or esodeviation was ≤10 prism diopters (PD) during distant fixation. Results The mean age was 15.2 ± 8.3 years. The mean esodeviation before injection was 21.8 ± 9.1 PD at distance and 21.3 ± 8.3 PD at near. The mean number of injections per patient was 1.3 ± 0.7, and 46 patients (93.9%) received two or fewer injections. At 6 months after the final injection, the mean angle of esodeviation was 7.3 ± 6.0 PD at distance and 7.5 ± 6.6 PD at near (all p<0.001), and 69.4% showed successful alignment. By multivariate analysis, an initial postoperative esodeviation of ≤18 PD at one month after exotropia surgery was considered to be a predictive factor for successful botulinum toxin injection (P = 0.007). Vertical deviation and/or ptosis occurred in 4 patients (8.2%) at two weeks after injection, which all resolved within three months. There was no recurrence of exotropia up to the final follow-up examination. Conclusion Botulinum toxin injection without electromyographic guidance is safe and effective in the treatment of consecutive esotropia without causing recurrent exotropia. Successful botulinum toxin injection is likely in patients with an initial postoperative esodeviation of 18PD or less at one month after exotropia surgery.

Essential Infantile Esotropia: A Course of Treatment From Our Experience

“…Concerning safety issues, even though it has been reported that BT injection may cause potential complications, such as ptosis, vertical deviation, subconjunctival or retrobulbar hemorrhage, scleral penetration, and systemic allergic reaction (43)(44)(45)(46)(47), our patients well tolerated the procedure, not presenting with serious or permanent complications, but only transient ptosis (40% of cases).…”

How to Better Treat Patients with Intermittent Exotropia: A Review of Surgical Treatment of Intermittent Exotropia

“…Initial overcorrections were managed conservatively with monocular patching, full hyperopic correction, bifocal glasses, topical anticholinesterase, botulinum toxin, or base-out prisms [28,[116][117][118][119]. Kim and Choi [115] reported that the divergence-excess type X (T), amblyopia, BLR, esodeviation ≥ 20 PD at postoperative day 1, younger age at diagnosis and surgery, and shorter duration from onset to surgery Surgical Treatment of Intermittent Exotropia were risk factors for consecutive esotropia.…”

“…Another option for managing the persistent consecutive esotropia could be botulinum toxin injection with/without electromyographic guidance. Yang et al [119] revealed that initial postoperative esodeviation of ≤ 18 PD at 1 month after exotropia surgery was a predictor for success. Vertical deviation and/or ptosis occurred in 8% of the patients and resolved within 3 months.…”

“…Another option for managing the persistent consecutive esotropia could be botulinum toxin injection with or without electromyographic guidance. Yang et al [ 118 ] reported successful alignment in 69% of the patients with 1.3 ± 0.7 botulinum injections without electromyographic guidance in patients with consecutive esotropia of 21.8 ± 9.1 PD at distance and 21.3 ± 8.3 PD at near. Multivariate analysis revealed that initial postoperative esodeviation of ≤18 PD at 1 month after exotropia surgery was a predictor for success.…”