Blindness following severe midfacial trauma--case report and review

Severe trauma of the viscerocranium or neurocranium may result in impaired visual acuity or even blindness. Case based epidemiology, pathomechanism and actual strategies in midfacial trauma for initial therapy and prevention of posttraumatic blindness are discussed.

A 58-year old patient was treated at our Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery after his central midface had been hit by a swinging steel girder. Initially he was blind on both eyes. Initial treatment started by applying 24 mg of dexamethasone and omeprazole. During the following 2 weeks, amaurosis persisted on the left eye. On the right eye complete visual acuity was regained. On the basis of data from our Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery an Odds Ratio of 0.12 was calculated for the combination of blindness and midfacial trauma. Today cortisol therapy is still used. However, hypothermia, anti-Trendelenburg position, and application of mannitol seem to be more effective therapeutic strategies. Erythropoetine and progesterone are promising drugs with neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory as well as anti-oedematous effects.

The risk of blindness is higher than expected. Latest findings regarding the neuroprotective effects of erythropoetine or/and progesterone seem to promise a more successful treatment.