Bilateral ophthalmoplegia and exophthalmos complicating central hemodialysis catheter placement

We describe a 58-year-old woman who presented with bilateral ophthalmoplegia, exophthalmos, and headache and was found to have retrograde internal jugular vein flow secondary to a high-grade obstruction of the ipsilateral brachiocephalic vein from a previous hemodialysis catheter placement. The patient had also a high-few dialysis graft in the ipsilateral arm. The cranial and extracranial venous system congestion resolved, and the signs disappeared soon after a balloon angioplasty and stent placement at the level of the obstruction. (C) 1999 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.