A nurse at Fairfield University's School of Nursing in Hartford, Conn., has developed recommendations for preventing post-surgical blindness caused by pressure on the optic nerve, according to a Hartford Courant report.
According to the report, surgical blindness can occur when a patient is placed head-down in what's known as the steep Trendelenburg position. The patient's intraocular pressure, caused by fluid in the eye, can increase to dangerous levels and cause blindness.
Bonnie Molloy, RN, who is also the chief certified registered nurse anesthetist in the Bridgeport Anesthesia Associates practice at Bridgeport Hospital, developed an observation scale to predict how much patient eye pressure will increase. The scale is known as the Molloy/Bridgeport Anesthesia Associates Observation Scale, or MBOS.
When pressure becomes dangerously high, Ms. Molloy recommends administering eye drops to reduce pressure or performing "rest stops," where the patient is taken out of the head-down position for 5-7 minute periods.
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According to the report, surgical blindness can occur when a patient is placed head-down in what's known as the steep Trendelenburg position. The patient's intraocular pressure, caused by fluid in the eye, can increase to dangerous levels and cause blindness.
Bonnie Molloy, RN, who is also the chief certified registered nurse anesthetist in the Bridgeport Anesthesia Associates practice at Bridgeport Hospital, developed an observation scale to predict how much patient eye pressure will increase. The scale is known as the Molloy/Bridgeport Anesthesia Associates Observation Scale, or MBOS.
When pressure becomes dangerously high, Ms. Molloy recommends administering eye drops to reduce pressure or performing "rest stops," where the patient is taken out of the head-down position for 5-7 minute periods.
Related Articles on Anesthesia:
Gabapentin Does Not Decrease Pain After Total Knee Arthroplasty
Popliteal Blocks Cause Rebound Pain After Ankle Fracture Surgery
Type of General Anesthesia Does Not Increase Delirium in Post-Op Period