Objective: To determine whether the abducens nerve is present in patients with type 2 Duane's retraction syndrome (DRS).
Design: Retrospective, observational case series.
Participants: Twelve consecutive patients diagnosed with type 2 DRS.
Methods: A retrospective review of medical records of ophthalmologic examination and thin-sectioned magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the brainstem level and the orbit was performed on 12 patients who showed the typical signs of type 2 DRS, including adduction deficit; globe retraction; narrowing of fissure on adduction; and upshoot, downshoot, or both.
Main outcome measures: Presence of the abducens nerve and any other extraocular muscle abnormalities discovered by MRI scan.
Results: Magnetic resonance imaging revealed the presence of the abducens nerve in all the affected eyes (n = 13) of 12 patients with type 2 DRS.
Conclusions: The abducens nerve is present on the affected side in type 2 Duane's retraction syndrome.
Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.