An Unusual Case of Cortical Blindness Associated with Aortography

Abstract

Transient cortical blindness is a rare but well-recognized benign complication of angiog raphy that is due to neurotoxicity of the contrast agent. The blindness completely resolves in a few days. This report describes a patient suffering an unusual course of cortical blindness following aortography resulting in permanent, partial blindness. It was found that blindness was the consequence of bilateral occipital embolisms. This case emphasizes that cortical blindness associatted with angiography does not always have a favorable outcome, since it might be, in rare cases, due to isolated occipital embolisms, which initially produce a clinical picture identical to that of the neurotoxic effect of contrast agents.