Bilateral optic atrophy after cardiac arrest in a patient with acute respiratory failure on positive pressure ventilation.
Bilateral blindness resulting from optic atrophy is an unusual complication following shock and cardio-respiratory arrest. This report describes a patient with acute respiratory failure due to pneumococcal pneumonia being treated with very high levels of positive end expiratory pressure who developed bilateral blindness following cardiac arrest. This unfortunate complication most likely resulted from increased intraocular pressure and low systemic perfusion pressure synergistically causing ischemia of the optic nerves.
Chelluri
L
L
Department of Critical Care and Emergency Medicine, University Hospital, SUNY Health Science Center, Syracuse 13210.
Jastremski
M S
MS
D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D009896:Optic Atrophy / Q000209:etiology*; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy