Post-anesthetic cortical blindness in cats: twenty cases

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Neurology
• Anesthesiology
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Cortical blindness following anesthesia is a recognized but poorly understood complication in cats.
• This study investigates the clinical presentation, outcomes, and potential risk factors associated with post-anesthetic cortical blindness in feline patients.

Observation:

• Medical records of 20 cats experiencing post-anesthetic cortical blindness were retrospectively reviewed.
• Data included anesthetic protocols, adverse events, neurological deficits, and visual recovery.
• Cadaveric feline brain dissections were performed to review vascular anatomy.

Findings:

• The majority of cats (16/20) undergoing anesthesia for various procedures, particularly dentistry (13/20), had a mouth gag placed.
• Seventeen cats (85%) exhibited neurological deficits alongside blindness.
• Vision recovery was observed in 70% (14/20) of cases, with 59% of those with neurological deficits achieving full neurological recovery.

Implications:

• Mouth gags are identified as a significant potential risk factor for cerebral ischemia and subsequent cortical blindness in cats.
• Understanding these risks can inform anesthetic protocols and potentially reduce the incidence of this adverse event.
• Further research into anesthetic-induced neurological complications in cats is warranted.