title: Vision loss after spine surgery: review of the literature and recommendations.
abstract: In recent studies spinal surgery has replaced cardiac surgery as a leading cause of postoperative vision loss (POVL). Estimates of the incidence of POVL after spinal surgery range from 0.028 to 0.2%, but with advances in complex spinal instrumentation and the rise in annual spinal operations, POVL may see an ominous increase in its incidence. Postoperative vision loss is an uncommon but devastating complication, with unknown origin and pathogenesis. The authors undertook a literature review and summarize the current understanding of its pathophysiology, highlight the limitations of existing knowledge, and recommend practical guidelines for avoiding this devastating outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Mirza N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Baig
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lubow
authors.forename: Phillip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Immesoete
authors.forename: Sergio D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Bergese
authors.forename: Elsayed-Awad
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Hamdy
authors.forename: Ehud
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mendel
mesh_terms: D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000145:classification; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D012307:Risk Factors; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology*