Postoperative visual loss is a rare and devastating complication. The estimated incidence is 0.01-1% after non ocular surgery. It has been reported after spine, cardiac and head and neck surgeries. We report a patient who was operated for cervical laminectomy in prone position and complained of loss of vision in one eye postoperatively. He was thoroughly investigated after visual loss. The case was diagnosed as central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) of the left eye. Here we consider the potential etiological factors causing this unilateral loss of vision and try to suggest strategies to reduce the incidence of the complication in spinal surgery.
Ramsay hunt syndrome[1] is a varicella zoster virus infection of the geniculate ganglion of the facial nerve. It is typically associated with a red rash and blister (inflamed vesicles or tiny water filled sacks in the skin) in or around the ear and eardrum and sometimes on the roof of the mouth or tongue. Corticosteroid, oral acyclovir, and anticonvulsant are used for treatment of this. In addition to this sympathetic neural blockade via stellate ganglion block is used to prevent facial nerve damage and relieve symptoms. We present a case of Ramsay hunt syndrome in which pain and symptoms are not relieved by oral medication but by daily sittings of stellate ganglion block with local anesthetic and steroid, pain, and other symptoms are relieved, and facial nerve damage is prevented.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.