Premium
Binocular Blindness Following Dynamic Cardiomyoplasty
Author(s) -
Robinson Richard J.S.,
Cecere Renzo,
Chiu Ray C.J.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of cardiac surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.428
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1540-8191
pISSN - 0886-0440
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8191.1996.tb00014.x
Subject(s) - medicine , complication , surgery , cardiogenic shock , cardiopulmonary bypass , anesthesia , cardiology , myocardial infarction
A bstract A 40‐year‐old man with viral cardiomyopathy underwent uncomplicated dynamic cardiomyoplasty. On the third postoperative day, he was rescued from an 8‐hour period of severe cardiogenic shock. Eleven days postoperatively, he was withdrawn and uncooperative, preferring to be left alone. He then complained of total blindness, which persisted to his sudden death on postoperative day 26. Clinical examination revealed no neurological abnormality except for signs consistent with a diagnosis of ischemic optic neuropathy. The optic nerve in the scleral canal is especially vulnerable to hypoperfusion. Blindness has been reported following severe hemorrhage, bilateral neck dissection, and has an incidence of 1 per 1100 cases following cardiopulmonary bypass. Anemia and hypotension may be consistent risk factors predisposing patients to this catastrophic complication.