Congenital achiasma and see-saw nystagmus in VACTERL syndrome

J Neuroophthalmol. 2010 Mar;30(1):45-8. doi: 10.1097/WNO.0b013e3181c28fc0.

Abstract

A 29-year-old man with vertebral defects, anal atresia, cardiac defects, tracheoesophageal fistula, renal defects, and limb defects (VACTERL) presented with headache, photophobia, and worsening nystagmus. He had near-normal visual acuity and visual fields, absent stereopsis, and see-saw nystagmus. Brain MRI revealed a thin remnant of the optic chiasm but normal-sized optic nerves. Functional MRI during monocular visual stimulation demonstrated non-crossing of the visual evoked responses in the occipital cortex, confirming achiasma. These findings have not previously been reported in VACTERL.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anus, Imperforate / complications*
  • Brain / blood supply
  • Brain / pathology
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual / physiology
  • Heart Defects, Congenital / complications*
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Kidney Diseases / complications*
  • Limb Deformities, Congenital / complications*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Male
  • Nystagmus, Congenital / diagnosis
  • Nystagmus, Congenital / etiology*
  • Nystagmus, Pathologic / diagnosis
  • Nystagmus, Pathologic / etiology*
  • Oxygen / blood
  • Spinal Diseases / complications*
  • Spinal Diseases / congenital
  • Tracheoesophageal Fistula / complications*

Substances

  • Oxygen