Postoperative transient blindness after general anesthesia and surgery: case report of conversion disorder

Pain Manag. 2017 Sep;7(5):377-381. doi: 10.2217/pmt-2017-0005. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Abstract

Postoperative acute visual loss due to organic pathology has been described after spinal surgery in the prone position. This report describes a case of transient postoperative blindness in a patient after general anesthesia and surgery in the prone position. Postoperative workup did not reveal any organic pathology. Unbeknown to the treating physicians, the patient had a comorbid untreated psychiatric history. Upon psychiatric consultation, the patient was diagnosed with conversion disorder as a cause of postoperative blindness. There was full recovery of vision after psychiatric intervention within a week.

Keywords: CRPS; anesthesia; blindness; conversion; postoperative; surgery; transient; visual loss.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anesthesia, General
  • Blindness / etiology*
  • Blindness / therapy
  • Conversion Disorder / complications*
  • Conversion Disorder / therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Postoperative Complications / psychology*
  • Prone Position
  • Psychotherapy
  • Spinal Cord / surgery*