Effect of resection of an orbital arteriovenous malformation on central venous pressure

We report the first utilization of intraoperative central venous pressure (CVP) monitoring in the resection of an orbital arteriovenous malformation. A 24-year-old woman with a history of a left orbital mass who had previously undergone resection of a cranio-orbital arteriovenous malformation presented with gradual recurrence in the left orbit. She visited the emergency department with sudden vision loss, which resolved over several hours. This transient vision loss was thought to be due to a steal phenomenon from the ophthalmic artery due to the residual vascular malformation. Further surgical resection was undertaken. A preoperative angiogram identified residual feeding vessels, and the larger vessels were embolized. At the start of the procedure, her CVP was elevated (29 mm Hg), as measured by a central venous line. The remaining feeding vessels were surgically ligated, and an intraoperative arteriogram confirmed their successful ablation. At the conclusion of the procedure, the CVP had decreased to 9 mm Hg.