Sudden, severe bilateral vision loss after coronary artery bypass grafting

Abstract

We describe a rare complication of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in a young man who presented with sudden, severe, bilateral visual loss after surgery. His ophthalmological examination was non-revealing; however, MRI of the brain revealed bilateral occipital lobe infarction. His infarction was presumed to be secondary to emboli arising from surgical manipulation within the atherosclerotic ascending aorta or from a cardiogenic thrombus formed due to perioperative arrhythmia.