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Maculo-papillary branch retinal artery occlusions following the Wada test
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
Background:
The Wada test induces short-term anesthesia of one hemisphere by injection of sodium amytal into an internal carotid artery. It is an important presurgical diagnostic tool in epileptic patients.
Patient:
A 22-year-old man with idiopathic epilepsy noticed a shadow in the central visual field of his right eye immediately following a Wada test of the right hemisphere.
Results:
The patient presented with an occlusion of two small branch retinal arteries and corresponding defects in his visual field. Fluorescence angiography revealed small dense hyperfluorescent spots within the occluded retinal vessels.
Conclusion:
Branch retinal artery occlusions are a possible complication of the Wada test, possibly induced by undissolved contrast medium or sodium amytal.