SUMMARY
The results of 68 patients submited to vertical transposition of both horizontal rectus muscles of the same eye for correction of hypertropia associated to horizontal strabismus (Moacyr Álvaro technique) were analysed. This procedure was performed simultaneously to the correction of the horizontal deviation.
The mean correction of hypertropia was variable and no relation between the number of milimeters of transposition and the obtained correction of hypertropia was determined. The magnitude of correction varied, in terms, according to the preoperative hypertropia.
Although the results were heterogeneous, we concluded that the technique is useful for cases of essential strabismus, where restoration of normal sensoriality is hardly obtained and absolute correction isn't required, for vertical deviation of 4 or 5 prism diopters doesn't represent a cosmetic problem. Also this technique avoid the need of desinserting a vertical rectus for correction of hypertropia, with all its disadvantages.
In face of the results obtained, the criteria to perform muscle transposition is hypertropia of at least 4 DP, always 4 mm for hypertropia lesser than 10 DP and 5 mm for hypertropia between 10 and 15 DP.