title: Bilateral cortical blindness: an unusual presentation of bacterial endocarditis.
abstract: We report the case of a 37-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department with the initial complaint of complete blindness. The patient was found to have bilateral ruptured occipital mycotic aneurysms as a sequela of bacterial endocarditis. This case is unique in several aspects. Although blindness may be a presenting neurologic symptom, it is exceedingly rare. To our knowledge, bilateral cortical blindness secondary to mycotic aneurysm rupture has not been reported previously.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Sparrow Hospital, Lansing, Michigan.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lawrence-Friedl
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000785:Aneurysm, Infected / Q000150:complications*; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000150:complications; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications*