Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T02:46:10.007Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Blindness: A potential complication of bilateral neck dissection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

A. J. M. Balm ,
D. H. Brown ,
W. A. E. J. De Vries  and
G. B. Snow
A. J. M. Balm*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology/Head Neck SurgeryFree University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
D. H. Brown
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology/Head Neck SurgeryFree University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
W. A. E. J. De Vries
Affiliation:
Department of Ophthalmology, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
G. B. Snow
Affiliation:
Department of Ophthalmology, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
*
Dr. A. J. M. Balm, Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Free University Hospital, de Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Tel. (20) 5486690.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Permanent blindness, is a very rare, but devastating complication of simultaneous bilateral neck dissection. Most otolaryngologists/head and neck surgeons are unaware that amaurosis can result from this surgery, and this paper is meant as a poignant reminder of that end. A case report is presented, followed by a discussion of possible aetiology; a management protocol is proposed.

Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 104 , Issue 2 , February 1990 , pp. 154 - 156
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Batson, O. V. (1944) Anatomical problems concerned in the study of cerebral blood flow. Federation Proceedings 4: 139–144.Google Scholar
Beahrs, O. H. (1975) Complication of surgery for cancer of the head and neck, in management of surgical complications Artx, C. P., Hardy, J. D. eds. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, p. 286.Google Scholar
Chutkow, J. G., Shorbrough, F. W., Riley, F. C. (1973) Blindness following simultaneous bilateral neck dissection. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 48: 713–717.Google ScholarPubMed
Jones, R. K. (1951) Increased intracranial pressure following radical neck surgery. Archives of Surgery 76: 713–719.Google Scholar
Lederman, M. (1967) Cancer of the larynx. Journal of Laryngology and Otology. 81: 151–155.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McGuirt, W. F., McCabe, B. F., Krause, C. J. (1979) Complications of radical neck dissection: a survey of 788 patients. Head & Neck Surgery 1: 481–487.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Million, R. R., Cassisi, N. J. (1984) Complications of neck dissection. In Management of head and neck cancer. A multidisciplinary approach. Philadelphia, JB Lippincott, pp. 73–75.Google Scholar
Milner, G. A. W. (1960) A case of blindness after bilateral neck dissection. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 74: 885–886.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moore, O. S., Smith, R. (1951) A case of one-stage bilateral neck dissections with recovery. Cancer 4: 1337–1340.3.0.CO;2-M>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moore, O. S., Frazell, E. L. (1964) Simultaneous bilateral neck dissection. American Journal of Surgery 107: 565.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moore, O. S. (1969) Bilateral neck dissection. Surgical Clinics of North America 49: 277–283.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nichols, R. T. (1969) Bilateral radical neck dissection. American Journal of Surgery 117: 377–381.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Perzik, S. L. (1952) Simultaneous bilateral radical neck dissection with recovery: Report of 2 cases. Surgery 31: 297; 306.Google Scholar
Razack, N. S., Baffi, R., Sako, K. (1981) Bilateral radical neck dissection. Cancer 47: 197–199.3.0.CO;2-9>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rutino, C. D., MacComb, W. S. (1966) Bilateral neck dissections: analysis of 180 cases. Cancer 19: 1503–1508.Google Scholar
Schweizer, O., Leak, G. H. (1952) A study of spinal fluid pressures in operations requiring removal of both internal jugular veins. Annals of Surgery 136: 948–956.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Spiro, R. H., Alfonso, A. E., Farr, H. W., Strong, E. W. (1974) Cervical node metastasis from epidermoid carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx. American Journal of Surgery 128: 562.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stell, P. M., Green, J. T. (1976) Management of metastases to the lymph glands of the neck. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine 69: 411–414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sugarbaker, E. D., Wiley, M. H. (1951) Intracranial pressure studies incident to resection of the internal jugular veins. Cancer 4: 242–250.3.0.CO;2-U>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tobin, H. A. (1972) Increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure following unilateral radical neck dissection. Laryngoscope 82: 817–820.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Torti, R. A., Ballantyne, A. J., Berkeley, R. G. (1964) Sudden blindness after simultaneous bilateral radical neck dissection. Archives of Surgery 88: 271–274.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Vries, W. A. E. J., Balm, A. J. M., Tiwari, R. M. (1986) Intracranial hypertension following neck dissection. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 100: 1427–1431.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed