Topic Highlight
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Orthop. Apr 18, 2014; 5(2): 100-106
Published online Apr 18, 2014. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v5.i2.100
Perioperative visual loss after spine surgery
Travis J Nickels, Mariel R Manlapaz, Ehab Farag
Travis J Nickels, Mariel R Manlapaz, Ehab Farag, Department of General Anesthesia, Anesthesiology Institute, Cleveland Clinc, Cleveland, OH 44195, United States
Author contributions: Nickels TJ, Manlapaz MR and Farag E performed research, analyzed the data, and wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Ehab Farag, MD, Department of General Anesthesia, Anesthesiology Institute, Cleveland Clinc, 9500 Euclid Avenue; E-30, Cleveland, OH 44195, United States. farage@ccf.org
Telephone: +1-216-4447550 Fax: +1-216-4449247
Received: December 17, 2013
Revised: February 25, 2014
Accepted: March 13, 2014
Published online: April 18, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: Perioperative visual loss (POVL) is an uncommon, but devastating complication that remains primarily associated with spine and cardiac surgery. The incidence and mechanisms of visual loss after surgery remain difficult to determine. Ischemic optic neuropathy accounts for the vast majority of these cases, with retinal ischemia, cortical blindness, and posterior reversible encephalopathy observed with low incidence. Recently identified risk factors include obesity, male sex, Wilson frame use, longer anesthetic duration, greater estimated blood loss, and decreased percent colloid administration. POVL is often permanent and untreatable, so prevention is key to limiting its impact.