Cerebellar astrocytoma presenting with acute esotropia in a 5 year-old girl. Case report

Risk of serious intracranial pathology in children presenting with acute acquired comitant esotropia

OBJECTIVE

Acute acquired comitant esotropia (AACE) is defined as a sudden-onset constant nonaccommodative esodeviation. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk of serious intracranial pathology in children presenting with AACE.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational cohort study.

SETTING

Tertiary care pediatric hospital.

METHODS

The study included consecutive children who met the diagnostic criteria for AACE and had neuroimaging at a tertiary care pediatric hospital between 2000 and 2020. Patients were identified by searching the radiology database for all children who underwent neuroimaging for esotropia. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients with serious intracranial pathology. Secondary outcomes included risk factors for finding likely causative intracranial pathology and the proportion of patients with incidental findings.

RESULTS

A total of 107 patients met the inclusion criteria. Most of the patients (75.7%) had normal neuroimaging. The next most common result was an incidental finding unrelated to the esotropia (18.7%). Five patients (4.7%) had findings with uncertain contribution to esotropia, including 3 cases of type I Chiari malformation. A serious intracranial pathology was found in 1 patient (0.9%) who had a cerebellar medulloblastoma.

CONCLUSION

In this large series of pediatric patients with AACE who underwent neuroimaging, there was a small but nontrivial risk of serious intracranial pathology. In these patients, it is advisable either to obtain neuroimaging or to monitor closely for the development of concerning signs or symptoms.

Neurological pathologies in acute acquired comitant esotropia

BACKGROUND

Acute acquired comitant esotropia (AACE) is an uncommon subtype of esotropia characterized by sudden and usually late onset of a relatively large angle of comitant esotropia with diplopia in older children and adults.

METHODS

A literature survey regarding neurological pathologies in AACE was conducted using databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, BioMed Central, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) in order to collect data for a narrative review of published reports and available literature.

RESULTS

The results of the literature survey were analyzed to provide an overview of the current knowledge of neurological pathologies in AACE. The results revealed that AACE with unclear etiologies can occur in many cases in both children and adults. Functional etiological factors for AACE were found to be due to many reasons, such as functional accommodative spasm, the excessive near work use of mobile phones/smartphones, and other digital screens. In addition, AACE was found to be associated with neurological disorders, such as astrocytoma of the corpus callosum, medulloblastoma, tumors of the brain stem or cerebellum, Arnold-Chiari malformation, cerebellar astrocytoma, Chiari 1 malformation, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, pontine glioma, cerebellar ataxia, thalamic lesions, myasthenia gravis, certain types of seizures, and hydrocephalus.

CONCLUSIONS

Previously reported cases of AACE with unknown etiologies have been reported in both children and adults. However, AACE can be associated with neurological disorders that require neuroimaging probes. The author recommends that clinicians should perform comprehensive neurological assessments to rule out neurological pathologies in AACE, especially in the presence of nystagmus or abnormal ocular and neurological indications (e.g., headache, cerebellar imbalance, weakness, nystagmus, papilloedema, clumsiness, and poor motor coordination).

Neurological pathologies associated with acute acquired comitant esotropia

Previously reported cases of acute acquired comitant esotropia (AACE) with unknown etiologies have been reported in both children and adults. However, AACE can be associated with neurological disorders that require neuroimaging probes. The author recommends that clinicians should perform comprehensive neurological assessments to rule out neurological pathologies in AACE, especially in the presence of A or V pattern esotropia, nystagmus, or abnormal ocular and neurological indications (e.g. headache, cerebellar imbalance, weakness, nystagmus, papilloedema, clumsiness, and poor motor coordination).

Surgical outcomes of acute acquired comitant esotropia of adulthood

Background

Acute acquired comitant esotropia (AACE) is a type of strabismus characterized by a sudden onset of large angle esotropia with diplopia, which often occurs in children after infancy, teenagers, and young adolescents. However, studies on the surgical outcomes of only adults are rare. The purpose of this article is to analyze the surgical outcomes for adult patients diagnosed with AACE.

Methods

Medical records of 24 patients who had undergone surgery for AACE were retrospectively analyzed. The main outcome measures were the final motor and sensory success rate after surgery and factors affecting motor and sensory outcomes. Motor success was considered alignment within 8 prism diopter (PD) at both near and distance and sensory success was stereoacuity ≥ 60 sec/arc.

Results

The preoperative mean esodeviation angles were 33.1 ± 10.4 PD at distance and 33.3 ± 11.2 PD at near. The mean period of postoperative follow up was 7.5 ± 4.5 months (range 1–8 months). The postoperative mean esodeviation angles at final follow-up time were 3.4 ± 6.1 PD at distance and 3.8 ± 6.7 PD at near. The surgical motor success rate at final follow-up was 79.2% (19/24). The sensory success rate at final follow-up was 50.0% (12/24). The factor affecting the motor outcome was the type of surgery (p < 0.05). The factor affecting sensory outcome was postoperative follow-up time (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Surgery type appears to affect surgical motor outcomes in adults with AACE. Although the sensory outcome was favorable, it seems that regaining bifoveal fixation takes time.

Acquired, Comitant, Non-Accommodative Esotropia (ANAET): Evaluation, Treatment, and Prognosis

Children presenting in later childhood with isolated, acquired, comitant non-accommodative esotropia (ANAET) form an unusual clinical group whose evaluation, treatment, and prognosis are unclear. We identified 9 such patients with no evidence of intracranial pathology whose outcomes following standard bilateral medial rectus recessions were excellent.

Decompensated Esophoria as a Benign Cause of Acquired Esotropia

PURPOSE

To determine informative clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of patients with symptomatic adult acquired, comitant esotropia due to decompensated esophoria.

DESIGN

Retrospective, interventional case series.

METHODS

Setting: Institutional.

STUDY POPULATION

Patients with decompensated esophoria who developed acute acquired comitant esotropia.

OBSERVATION PROCEDURES

Ophthalmic examination, stereopsis, and strabismus measurements at distance and near using prism cover tests in diagnostic gaze positions were performed. Patients underwent high-resolution surface coil MRI of extraocular muscles with target fixation, and MRI of the brain. Strabismus surgery was performed under topical anesthesia with adjustable sutures wherever possible. Paired t testing was used to evaluate postoperative changes with 0.05 considered significant.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Clinical and MRI characteristics, and surgical outcome of patients with decompensated esophoria.

RESULTS

Eight cases were identified involving subjects of mean age 29 ± 9.4 (range: 20-48) years having gradually progressive intermittent horizontal, binocular diplopia for 10 months to 3 years. Mean preoperative esotropia was 31 ± 12 Δ at distance and 29 ± 12 Δ at near, although this was intermittent in 5 patients who exhibited enhanced fusional divergence. Neurologic evaluation and MRI of brain, orbits, and extraocular muscles were unremarkable in all cases. Orthotropia was successfully restored in all by standard or enhanced doses of bimedial rectus muscle recession surgery, improving mean stereoacuity from 535 to 68 arc seconds, although 5 patients exhibited 2-14 Δ asymptomatic residual esophoria.

CONCLUSION

Decompensated esophoria is a benign clinical entity causing acute, acquired, comitant esotropia treatable with enhanced medial rectus recession.

Visual and ocular motor outcomes in children with posterior fossa tumors

PURPOSE

To describe the clinical characteristics and visual and ocular motor outcomes of a large cohort of pediatric patients treated for tumors of the posterior cranial fossa.

METHODS

The medical records of all patients with posterior fossa tumors evaluated by the ophthalmology services at two large tertiary care academic hospitals between 2005 and 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. Data abstracted for each study patient included demographic information, presenting signs and symptoms, pathologic diagnosis, and results of the most recent ophthalmology examination.

RESULTS

A total of 139 patients were included. Visual outcomes were categorized as "good" (bilateral acuity of 20/20-20/40) in 101 patients (72.7%), "fair" (<20/40-20/200 in one or both eyes) in 12 patients (8.6%), or "poor" (<20/200 in one or both eyes) in 9 patients (6.5%). Patients with medulloblastoma and ependymoma had a significantly greater risk of a poor or fair visual outcome than those with juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (both P < 0.05), independent of age and sex. Thirty-two patients (23.0%) developed nystagmus, and 59 patients (42.4%) developed strabismus. Twenty-four patients (17.3%) underwent eye muscle surgery for persistent strabismus.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of patients had good visual outcomes, although ocular motor abnormalities were common. Tumor type was a significant risk factor for permanent vision loss.

Acute Acquired Comitant Esotropia in Adults: Is It Neurologic or Not?

Objectives. Acute acquired comitant esotropia (AACE) can be a diagnostic challenge for ophthalmologists and neurologists because of its association with neurological pathologies. Our study describes a series of adult patients with AACE of undetermined etiology. Methods. Data on the clinical findings of patients presented with AACE of undetermined etiology with a minimum follow-up of 1 year were retrieved from the medical records and the results analyzed. Results. A series of 9 esotropia cases (age range: 20-43 years) was reviewed. All patients had full duction and versions, without an A-pattern or V-pattern. All patients had esotropia for distance and near. Neurological evaluation in all cases was normal. Among patients, 3 were treated with prisms, 4 were treated with strabismus surgery, and 1 was treated with botulinum toxin injections; 1 patient declined treatment. In treated patients posttreatment sensory testing indicated restoration of binocularity that remained stable throughout follow-up of 1-9 years. The patient that declined treatment had binocular function with base-out prisms. Conclusion. Acute onset esotropia may be seen without a neurological pathology in adults. Good motor and sensory outcomes can be achieved in these patients with AACE of undetermined etiology via surgical and nonsurgical methods.

Acute-onset esotropia: should we look inside?

The authors report a case of acute onset of comitant esotropia with diplopia in a 5-year-old boy with a diffuse pontine glioma. On first presentation, the angle of esodeviation was 30 prism diopters at distance fixation and 25 prism diopters at near fixation. Neurological symptoms appeared 10 weeks after the first visit.

Varied aetiology of acute acquired comitant esotropia: A case series

This is an observational case series of five cases of acute acquired comitant esotropia (AACE) with diplopia, aged between 5 and 12 years. The duration of presenting complaints ranged from 4 days to 2 months. A detailed ophthalmic evaluation and neuroimaging were done on all patients. Three patients were found to have intracranial pathology. Two patients had pontine glioma and one patient had benign intracranial hypertension. One patient was diagnosed as accommodative spasm and one patient was diagnosed as having Type 2 AACE.We would like to conclude that AACE can be of a varied aetiology ranging from convergence spasm to those harboring serious intracranial diseases. We reiterate that AACE has a small but significant association with intracranial disorders. Neuroimaging is a definite need in cases which cannot be proved to be either Type 1 or 2.

Acute comitant esotropia in a child with a cerebellar tumor

We report a case of acute comitant esotropia in a child with a cerebellar tumor. A 3-year-old boy was referred for management of a 9 month history of acute acquired comitant esotropia. On first presentation, the patient's angle of esodeviation was 50 prism-diopters (PD) at distance and near fixation without any lateral incomitance. The cycloplegic refraction revealed +0.75 diopters in both eyes. Very mild bilateral papilledema was found on the fundus examination, but the neurological examination did not reveal any other pathological findings. Brain MRI showed a 5 cm mass located in the midline of the cerebellum as well as hydrocephalus. The mass was completely excised and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of pilocytic astrocytoma. Despite neurosurgery, the patient's strabismus remained unresolved. One year after neurosurgery, both medial rectus muscles were surgically recessed by 6 mm, resulting in esotropia of 8PD at distant and near fixation without restoration of bifoveal fusion at follow-up 2 years after the eye muscle surgery. Therefore, acute onset comitant esotropia in a child can be the first sign of a cerebellar tumor, even without any other neurological signs and symptoms.

Acute v pattern esotropia without abduction deficit, secondary to a posterior fossa pilocytic astrocytoma

A case of acute esotropia with bilateral inferior oblique muscle overaction in a 4-year-old boy with a posterior fossa pilocytic astrocytoma is reported. After tumor excision, the esotropia and oblique dysfunction resolved. Acute esotropia with bilateral inferior oblique muscle overaction without abducens palsy is an unusual sign of brain stem mass.

Double Vision Worth a Double Take

An 18-year-old girl presented with an acute acquired comitant esotropia. Investigation showed a brainstem glioma. Discussion of types of acute acquired comitant esotropia, differential diagnosis and neurologic work-up is given. Review of the literature involving acute acquired comitant esotropia is provided.