Visual loss after spine surgery. Imaging findings

Postoperative visual loss is a rare but disastrous complication that can be observed after spinal surgery. We report the case of a 39-year-old woman involved in a traffic accident that caused trauma to the cervical spine causing right hemiplegia, who underwent a prolonged spinal operation in the prone position and complained of monocular blindness 1 day postoperatively. The ophthalmologic examination showed no involvement of the ocular globe. The orbitocerebral MRI showed definite diagnostic arguments for orbital vascular injury. The symptoms did not completely disappear after 1 year of treatment. We consider the potential etiological factors contributing to this unilateral postoperative visual loss and suggest strategies to reduce the incidence of this complication in spinal surgery. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.