Transient Cortical Blindness after Removal of Subclavian Vein Catheter

ABSTRACT

A 42-year-old woman who had undergo a subtotal gastrectomy for stomach cancer, developed transient bilateral cortical blindness and hemiplegia after the removal of a subclavian vein catheter. A brain MRI, transcranial doppler sonogram and visual evoked potentials revealed no abnormalities. She returned to normal neurologic status 4 days after onset. There have been a few cases of transient cortical blindness after an insertion or removal of the subclavian vein catheter. However, caution should be taken for this possibility whenever the subclavian catheter is inserted or removed.