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Perioperative Vision Loss in Cervical Spinal Surgery.
Brandon C Gabel1, Arthur Lam1, Jens R Chapman1
1Swedish Neuroscience Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.
Global Spine Journal
|April 29, 2017
Summary
Perioperative vision loss after cervical spine surgery is extremely rare. A review of over 17,000 patients found no reported cases of blindness or vision loss following the procedure.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Cervical spinal surgery carries potential risks, including rare but serious complications.
- Understanding the incidence of perioperative vision loss is crucial for patient safety and surgical planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the rate of vision loss occurring around the time of cervical spinal surgery.
- To evaluate the incidence of blindness following cervical spine procedures.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of a large multicenter case series.
- Inclusion of 17,625 patients undergoing cervical spine surgery (C2-C7) between 2005 and 2011.
- Review of medical records from 21 high-volume surgical centers within the AOSpine North America Clinical Research Network.
Main Results:
- Data from 17,625 patients were analyzed, with 13,946 assessed for vision loss.
- Surgical approaches included anterior (9,591 cases) and posterior/circumferential fusions (4,355 cases).
- No instances of postoperative blindness or vision loss were reported during the study period.
Conclusions:
- Perioperative vision loss following cervical spinal surgery is exceptionally rare.
- The findings suggest a very low risk of vision-related complications in this patient population.
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