BINOCULAR BLINDNESS FOLLOWING DYNAMIC CARDIOMYOPLASTY

A 40-year-old man with viral cardiomyopathy underwent uncomplicated dy namic cardiomyoplasty. On the third postoperative day, he was rescued from an 8-hour period of severe cardiogenic shock, Eleven days postope ratively, he was withdrawn and uncooperative, preferring to be left al one. He then complained of total blindness, which persisted to his sud den death on postoperative day 26. Clinical examination revealed no ne urological abnormality except for signs consistent with a diagnosis of ischemic optic neuropathy. The optic nerve in the scleral canal is es pecially vulnerable to hypoperfusion, Blindness has been reported foll owing severe hemorrhage, bilateral neck dissection, and has an inciden ce of 1 per 1100 cases following cardiopulmonary bypass. Anemia and hy potension may be consistent risk factors predisposing patients to this catastrophic complication.