Postoperative visual loss following cerebral arteriovenous malformation surgery: a case report

We report the case of a 46 year-old woman presenting with postoperative visual loss in the right eye after craniotomy for excision of an arteriovenous malformation. The intraoperative course was uneventful with hemodynamic stability and maintenance of blood pressure within 10% of the preoperative value. Blood loss was 300 ml; postoperative hemoglobin was 12.4 g/dl. In the recovery room, the ophthalmologic examination revealed decreased visual acuity, color vision, and visual field in the right eye. Assessment of the retina was normal, but the patient showed a relative afferent pupillary defect consistent with the clinical diagnosis of ischemic optic neuropathy. Anesthesiologists should be aware that this condition may follow uncomplicated intracranial surgeries in the supine position, and should obtain prompt ophthalmologic consultation when patients develop postoperative visual loss.