• Reinhold Ortmaier, Herbert Resch, Caroline Stieböck, Ottokar Stundner, and Eva Maria Arlt.
• University Clinic for Trauma Surgery and Sports Injuries, Müllner Hauptstraße 48, Salzburg A-5020, Austria. r.ortmaier@gmail.com.
• Bmc Musculoskel Dis. 2014 Feb 19; 15: 42.

BackgroundPurtscher's retinopathy is a sight threatening, occlusive microvasculopathy associated with trauma, it is rarely reported after long bone fractures.Case PresentationA 20-year-old female sustained a femoral shaft fracture (AO 32-A2.3) in a ski accident colliding with a snowgun and was treated with intramedullary nailing one hour after the accident. 14 hours after surgery the patient complained of loss of vision in both eyes and was therefore referred to a neurologist, furthermore an MRI scan of the brain was performed. Neither showed any pathological findings. The patient was finally transferred to an ophthalmology department. After slit lamp examination and funduscopy Purtscher's retinopathy was diagnosed. Treatment was started right after diagnosis and 5 days after the onset of symptoms. The patient was administered intravenous haemo-rheologic therapy for five days as well as low molecular heparine in therapeutic dose and Vasonit® 400 mg bid orally.At follow-up 4 weeks and 6 months later visual acuity had improved after 4 weeks before that exam. At final follow-up the symptoms had almost resolved completely and uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best corrected visual acuity had improved from originally 0.25 decimal in both eyes to 0.8 decimal UCVA and BCVA in both eyes.ConclusionsPatients suffering from perioperative loss of vision have to be referred for ophthalmological and neurological assessment as soon as possible. History of trauma and visual loss can point to the diagnosis of Purtscher's retinopathy.

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