I have just completed a lengthy, prone position spine surgery at T1 and T5 and pt awoke with total bilateral vision loss due to posterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Pt female, non-diabetic, no history of blood pressure or pulmonary problems. Would be interested in discussing this catastrophic rare complication with others who have some knowledge of subject.
sir,
in my opinion most probably due to profound hypotension intraoperatively due to any reason could have led to decreased blood supply to optic nerve resulting into blindness/now you can only tell about hypotension intraoperatively & blood loss?other factors like pressure on globe(eyeball),compression of pial vessels which is supplied by collaterals of opthalmic artery & embolic phenomena may all be responsible for ischemic changes in optic nerve.regards