Recovery of postoperative visual loss following treatment of severe anaemia.
A 29-year-old pregnant woman noted acute visual loss following emergent Caesarean section complicated by excessive uterine bleeding. Postoperative visual acuity was count fingers in both eyes. Funduscopic changes were consistent with a diagnosis of anaemia-associated ischaemic optic neuropathy and retinopathy. One month later, because of persistent anaemia and poor visual recovery, blood transfusion was given. Following transfusion, the patient's vision improved over the next 6 months. In an otherwise healthy patient, visual loss associated with postoperative blood loss may still be partially reversible with correction of the anaemia, even after a delayed period of time.
Kawasaki
Aki
A
Purvin
Valerie
V
D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018917:Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D014792:Visual Acuity