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Case Report
Neurosurgery
A point-of-care evaluation after visual loss following paraclinoid aneurysm repair: the role of sonographic and pupillometer assessment
Giacomo Bertolini, Ernesto Migliorino, Diego Mazzatenta, Carlo Bortolotti, Raffaele Aspide
Received January 9, 2022  Accepted March 17, 2022  Published online July 5, 2022  
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2022.00045    [Epub ahead of print]
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Visual complications represent common deficits following surgical or endovascular repair of paraclinoid aneurysms. Different etiologies should be investigated to prevent devastating consequences. Herein we present a point-of-care evaluation to investigate sudden visual loss after coiling of a paraclinoid aneurysms. A 20-year-old male were admitted for a sudden headache. Head computed tomography showed a subarachnoid hemorrhage and subsequent angiography revealed a 9-mm left supraclinoid aneurysm of the internal carotid artery treated with endovascular coil embolization. Thirty minutes after intensive care unit admission the patient reported a left amaurosis. To exclude secondary etiologies an immediate evaluation with point-of-care devices (color-doppler and B-mode ultrasound and automated pupillometry) were performed. Sonographic evaluations were negative for ischemic/thrombotic events and neurologic pupil index within physiological ranges provide evidence of third cranial nerve responsiveness. The symptomatology resolved progressively over 120 minutes with low-dose steroid therapy, 30° head-of-bed elevation and blood pressure management. Visual deficits can occur after endovascular procedure and should be investigated. Suspected visual loss is a neurological emergency that deserve a prompt evaluation. Ultrasound and automated pupillometry have proved to be an effective, rapid, reliable and non-invasive combination for a clinical decision-making strategy in the management of post-procedural acute visual deficits.

ACC : Acute and Critical Care