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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Minimally Invasive Surgical Decompression of Occipital Nerves
04:06

Minimally Invasive Surgical Decompression of Occipital Nerves

Published on: September 13, 2024

[Optic nerve ischemia after spine surgery: case report].

Clóvis Marcelo Corso1, Pedro Paulo Tanaka, Karina Khon

  • 1Hospital Vita, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. tanaka@bsi.com.br

Revista Brasileira De Anestesiologia
|May 27, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Visual loss, a rare complication of spine surgery, can occur after procedures in the prone position. This case highlights ischemic optic neuropathy as a potential cause, emphasizing risk factors like hypertension and smoking.

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Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Anesthesiology

Context:

  • Postoperative visual loss is an uncommon but significant complication following non-ocular surgeries.
  • The incidence of such complications is increasingly documented in medical literature.
  • Prone positioning during spinal procedures presents unique physiological challenges.

Purpose:

  • To report a case of unilateral visual loss (anopsia) occurring after a prone spinal procedure.
  • To discuss the potential mechanism of ischemic optic neuropathy in this context.
  • To identify associated risk factors for this adverse event.

Summary:

  • A 58-year-old male with a history of smoking and hypertension underwent spinal cord decompression and lumbar arthrodesis.
  • Postoperatively, the patient developed ocular proptosis, conjunctival edema, and left visual loss.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Minimally Invasive Surgical Decompression of Occipital Nerves
04:06

Minimally Invasive Surgical Decompression of Occipital Nerves

Published on: September 13, 2024

  • The visual loss is attributed to ischemic optic neuropathy, likely due to an imbalance between optic nerve oxygen supply and demand, potentially exacerbated by increased intraocular pressure relative to systemic blood pressure.

    • Impact:

    • This case underscores the possibility of visual impairment after prone spine surgery.
    • Understanding risk factors such as advanced age, atherosclerosis, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and procedure duration is crucial for prevention.
    • Highlights the need for vigilance and further research into the pathophysiology and management of postoperative visual loss in spinal surgery.