Transient cortical blindness after coronary angiography and graft study

Abstract

Transient cortical blindness is extremely rare but usually reversible complication of coronary angiography. We report a case of transient cortical blindness in a 63 year old male patient one hour after native coronary and bypass graft angiography through the right femoral access. A non-contrast enhanced CT and MRI brain scans showed multiple asymmetrical lesions in brain parenchyma in the distribution of posterior cerebral circulation predominantly in the cerebellum and left occipital lobe. Direct contrast neurotoxicity to the sensitive occipital cerebral lobes seemed to be the possible cause but the exact mechanism of cerebral injury remains unknown.