Dilated superior ophthalmic veins and posterior ischemic optic neuropathy after prolonged spine surgery.

A 55-year-old man developed bilateral posterior ischemic optic neuropathy after prolonged prone position lumbar laminectomy. Brain MRI performed 19 hours after the procedure revealed markedly dilated superior ophthalmic veins, a finding that had disappeared on a comparable study performed 5 months later. This first report of dilated superior ophthalmic veins present in the immediate postoperative period but not later may be important in suggesting that an increase in orbital venous pressure during surgery contributes to the development of postoperative posterior ischemic optic neuropathy (PION).

[1]  R. Foroozan,et al.  Perioperative posterior ischemic optic neuropathy: review of the literature. , 2005, Survey of ophthalmology.

[2]  S. Hayreh.  Posterior ischaemic optic neuropathy: clinical features, pathogenesis, and management , 2004, Eye.

[3]  R. Tempelhoff,et al.  The Effect of Prone Positioning on Intraocular Pressure in Anesthetized Patients , 2001, Anesthesiology.

[4]  Lorri A. Lee,et al.  Unilateral blindness after prone lumbar spine surgery. , 2001, Anesthesiology.

[5]  G. Alexandrakis,et al.  Bilateral posterior ischemic optic neuropathy after spinal surgery. , 1999, American journal of ophthalmology.

[6]  S. Roth,et al.  Unexplained visual loss after lumbar spinal fusion. , 1997, Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology.

[7]  G. Undt,et al.  Posterior ischemic optic neuropathy following bilateral radical neck dissection. , 1995, International journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

[8]  G. Snow,et al.  Blindness: A potential complication of bilateral neck dissection , 1990, The Journal of Laryngology & Otology.

[9]  Sharbrough Fw,et al.  Blindness following simultaneous bilateral neck dissection. , 1973 .

[10]  F. Sharbrough,et al.  Blindness following simultaneous bilateral neck dissection. , 1973, Mayo Clinic proceedings.

[11]  H. Tobin.  Increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure following unilateral radical neck dissection , 1972, The Laryngoscope.

[12]  O. Schweizer,et al.  A STUDY OF SPINAL FLUID PRESSURES IN OPERATIONS REQUIRING REMOVAL OF BOTH INTERNAL JUGULAR VEINS , 1952, Annals of Surgery.

[13]  Sugarbaker Ed,et al.  Intracranial-pressure studies incident to resection of the internal jugular veins. , 1951 .

[14]  E. Sugarbaker,et al.  Intracranial‐pressure studies incident to resection of the internal jugular veins , 1951, Cancer.