Does conventional practice prevent occular complications in prone position spinal surgery?
Postoperative blindness, though a rare complication of non-occular surgery, may be the most limiting to the quality of a patient’s life and the most likely to entail medico-legal consequences for medical and theatre personnel. A number of recent case studies and reviews have given rise to the assumption that perioperative variables, such as intraoperative blood-loss, anaemia and hypotension, play a key role in the reduction of the risk of postoperative vision loss (Ho et al 2005). Perioperative measures such as careful monitoring of blood pressure, eye protection and generous use of blood transfusion may therefore play a vital role in the prevention of this rare but serious complication. Literature review In spinal surgery, the prone position in particular has been discussed in association with mono- or bioccular blindness. This position is used in a variety of spinal surgical procedures such as spinal fusion or kyphoplasty. It entails the installation of the patient face down on the o
