Delayed Cortical Blindness after Electroconvulsive Therapy in a Healthy Young Patient: A Case Report

Han Wu1,2, Li-na Jia1,2, Wei Jiang1,2, Yi-lang Tang3,4, Yan-ping Ren1,2 and Xin Ma1,2*

1The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
2Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, China
3Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, USA
4Mental Health Service Line, Atlanta VA Medical Center, USA

^*Correspondance to: Xin Ma 

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Abstract:

We report a 19-year-old healthy young patient diagnosed with schizophrenia who developed cortical blindness three hours after the initial ECT. After extensive workup, patient was diagnosed with pneumonia with altered mental status, along with blindness. The alveolar-arterial oxygen partial pressure (PA-aDO2) increased significantly. Supplemental oxygen was given. Mannitol was administered for dehydration; cefuroxime and dexamethasone were given intravenously. His vision fully recovered 15 h after ECT. The interaction between respiratory infection and ECT might contribute to local vasospasm of occipital lobe, leading to cortical blindness. For patients with respiratory tract infection after ECT, especially with significantly increased PA-aDO2, antibiotic treatment and dehydration should be administered to prevent the occurrence of cortical blindness.

Keywords:

Electroconvulsive therapy; Delayed cortical blindness; PA-ADO2

Cite the Article:

Wu H, Jia L-N, Jiang W, Tang Y-L, Ren Y-P, Ma X. Delayed Cortical Blindness after Electroconvulsive Therapy in a Healthy Young Patient: A Case Report. Ann Clin Case Rep. 2022; 7: 2088..