Monocular blindness as a complication of trigeminal radiofrequency rhizotomy

PURPOSE: To raise the awareness of the rare complication of monocular blindness resulting from radiofrequency rhizotomy for trigeminal neuralgia. METHODS: Case series from tertiary referral centers. Patients were referred after complaint of loss of vision. RESULTS: We report three patients who had t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of ophthalmology 2001-02, Vol.131 (2), p.237-240
Main Authors: Egan, Robert A, Pless, Misha, Shults, William T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Blindness - etiology
Cranial nerves. Peripheral nerves. Autonomic nervous system
Electrocoagulation - adverse effects
Humans
Intraoperative Complications
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neurosurgery
Optic Nerve Injuries - etiology
Rhizotomy - adverse effects
Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases
Trigeminal Neuralgia - surgery
Vision, Monocular
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Summary:PURPOSE: To raise the awareness of the rare complication of monocular blindness resulting from radiofrequency rhizotomy for trigeminal neuralgia. METHODS: Case series from tertiary referral centers. Patients were referred after complaint of loss of vision. RESULTS: We report three patients who had trigeminal neuralgia and underwent treatment by radiofrequency rhizotomy. Each developed complete loss of vision in one eye immediately after the procedure. One patient died of an unrelated cause, and pathologic analysis revealed changes compatible with acute trauma to the right optic nerve. CONCLUSION: Our third case confirms the hypothesis that traumatic optic neuropathy after trigeminal radiofrequency rhizotomy results from malpositioning of the rhizotomy needle through the inferior orbital fissure into the orbital apex rather than the foramen ovale.
ISSN:0002-9394
1879-1891
DOI:10.1016/S0002-9394(00)00796-0