Does head tilt influence facial appearance more than head turn?

Purpose: To evaluate the frequency of facial asymmetry parameters in patients with head tilt versus those with head turn. Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study was performed on 155 cases, including 58 patients with congenital pure head turn due to Duane retraction syndrome (DRS), 33 patients with congenital pure head tilt due to upshoot in adduction or DRS, and 64 orthotropic subjects as the control group. The facial appearance was evaluated by computerized analysis of digital photographs of patients' faces. Relative facial size (the ratio of the distance between the external canthus and the corner of the lips of both face sides) and facial angle (the angular difference between a line that connects two external canthi and another line that connects the two corners of the lips) measured as quantitative facial parameters. Qualitative parameters were evaluated by the presence of one-sided face, cheek, and nostril compression; and columella deviation. Results: The facial asymmetry frequency in patients with head tilt, head turn, and orthotropic subjects was observed in 32 (97%), 50 (86.2%), and 22 (34.3%), respectively (P < 0.001). In patients with head tilt and head turn, the mean facial angle was 1.78º ± 1.01º and 1.19º ± 0.84º, respectively (P = 0.004) and the mean relative facial size was 1.027 ± 0.018 and 1.018 ± 0.014, respectively (P = 0.018). The frequencies of one-sided nostril compression, cheek compression, face compression, and columella deviation in patients with pure head tilt were found in 19 (58%), 21 (64%), 19 (58%), and 19 (58%) patients, respectively, and in patients with pure head turn the frequencies were observed in 42 (72%), 37 (63%), 27 (47%), and 43 (74%), respectively. All quantitative and qualitative facial asymmetry parameters and facial asymmetry frequencies were significantly higher in head tilt and head turn patients as compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusion: All facial asymmetry parameters in patients with head tilt and head turn were significantly higher than orthotropic subjects. The quantitative parameters such as relative facial size and facial angle were significantly higher in patients with pure head tilt than pure head turn. The results revealed that pure head tilt was associated with a higher prevalence of facial asymmetry than pure head turn.

Long-Term Outcome and Recurrence of Abnormal Head Posture after Surgery in Patients with Nystagmus

PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term outcome and recurrence of abnormal head posture after modified Kestenbaum surgery in patients with nystagmus. METHODS: The medical records of 46 patients who underwent modified Kestenbaum procedure in horizontal recti muscles for nystagmus with abnormal head turn were retrospectively reviewed. We assessed the effect of surgery by comparing preoperative and postoperative clinical data such as visual acuity (log MAR) and degree of head turn. A reoperation or abnormal head turn of 10degrees or more at final visit were defined as recurrence. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the presence of recurrence or reoperation. Clinical factors associated with recurrence or reoperation were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The mean visual acuity was 0.38 in the better eye and 0.42 in the worse eye before surgery, which improved to 0.15 and 0.21 after surgery (each p < 0.001), with a mean follow-up period of 124 months. The mean degree of head turn was 41.41degrees preoperatively and was changed to 2.61degrees postoperatively (p < 0.001). The recurrence rate was 23.9% and the reoperation rate was 10.9%. Mental retardation, amblyopia, preoperative visual acuity, degree of head turn, and presence of strabismus were not associated with recurrence or reoperation. The mean age at first surgery was significantly lower in the reoperation group (p = 0.009). The mean visual acuity in the better eye at postoperative 6 months and in better and worse eyes at postoperative 1 year was significantly worse in the reoperation group (p = 0.034, 0.012 and 0.009, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The visual acuity and head turn was improved after modified Kestenbaum surgery in patients with nystagmus and abnormal head posture. The reoperation rates were associated with earlier age of first operation and worse postoperative visual acuity. However, further prospective studies are necessary to clarify these factors.

The position of eye and head for measurement of lateral incomitancy in intermittent exotropes

PURPOSE: To determine proper position of lateral gazes and angle of head turn for the measuring lateral incomitancy in intermittent exotropia. METHODS: Twenty-five Korean intermittent exotropes with exoangle more than 25 prism diopters (PD) and 25 orthophoric people were taken. Three lateral gazes were proposed: position A, when the lateral limbus of the abducted eye was off the lateral canthus; position B, when touched the lateral canthus; and position C when was hidden behind the lateral canthus. The angle of deviation and head turn were measured at each position. In the most comfortable position which subjects selected, the length from lateral canthus to lateral limbus (lateral cantho-limbal distance) of the abducted eye was measured. RESULTS: 23 patients of each group selected that position A was the most comfortable. At position A, the mean of cantho-limbal distance in exotropes was 1.19mm at the right lateral gaze and 1.04 mm at left, people with orthophoria showed larger values in both gazes. The average amount of head turn was 24.1 degrees at the right lateral gaze and 24.3 degrees at the left at position A, 27.5 degrees and 34.1 degrees at position B, 27.6 degrees and 33.7degrees at position C. The average angle of exodeviation was 27.4 PD in the primary gaze. It was 21.7 PD in the right lateral gaze and 20.3 PD in the left lateral gaze at position A, 17.9 PD and 17.5 PD at position B, and 9.0 PD and 8.6 PD at position C. CONCLUSIONS: In the measurement of lateral exo-angle to evaluate lateral incomitancy in intermittent exotropia, the most appropriate position of eye and head turn turned to be when the lateral limbus of the abducted eye is about 1mm apart from the lateral canthus with head turn of 25degrees laterally.

Surgical Effect of Augmented Modified Kestenbaum Procedure Combined with Conjunctival Recession for the Abnormal Head Position in Congenital Nystagmus

We performed surgery for correction of abnormal head turn in 10 patients with congenital nystagmus. For 3 patients with a head turn of 30 degrees, a 40% augmented modified kestenbaum operation was performed. For 4 patients with a head turn of 45 degrees, a 40% augmented modified kestenbaum operation combined with a 3 - 4 mm recession of conjunctival and subconjunctival tissues was performed. Finally, for 3 patients with a head turn of 60 degrees, a 60% augmented modified kestenbaum procedure combined with a 3 - 4 mm recession of conjunctival and subconjunctival tissues was performed. At the final follow-up visit(averaging 5.9 months), 7 patients showed complete corrections of previous head turn and 3 patients showed a small residual head turn of less than 10 degrees to the same side of the preoperative head turn. The average amount of correction we obtained from the surgery described above were 26.7, 42.5 and 56.7 degrees for the patients who had had a preoperative head turn of 30, 45 and 60 degrees respectively. Among the 10 patients, 4 showed no change in corrected visual acuity, but 6 showed increased corrected visual acuity by over 1 Snellen line. From the above results, we concluded that if recession procedure of the conjunctival and subconjunctival tissues was combined with augmented modified Kestenbaum procedure, its effect for correction of abnormal head turn in a patient with congenital nystagmus could be enhanced.