Eye Cataract Surgery

[yzyvery]

My grandmother is 82. She has undergone a cataract surgery 6 months ago for her left eye. The cataract was hypermatured but the procedure went well, at least that's what the doctors said. However, three days after the intervention she suffered an ischemic stroke leaving her left side of the body paralised. I was wondering could there be a connection between anything performed during the surgery and the stroke? Could there be a connection between the local anesthesia and the stroke for example? Also, she has a cataract at her right eye. She hopes that she can undergo a second surgery for this eye. What would you recommend?

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

She can have second surgery whenever she is medically cleared by her physician - assuming cataract and patient are ready.

MJK MD

[yzyvery]

First of all, thank you so much for your response. This is really great that people can get advice from experts like you. Regarding your response, she only began experiencing its effects about a year ago and I'm hoping it is not hypermatured. I gather then, that if she hangs on to her medication and with a proper physician, this problem could be solved without the risk of a complication? Also, is there a minimum time interval that she has to wait before she can have her second surgery? Should she have some medical analysis taken (like blood tests, or other procedures) to ***** whether she's ready for it?

Thank you so much!

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

I don't see a connection other than sometimes people get stressed out around the time of surgery - no matter how small it seems to us.  Another possibility is that she may have stopped her blood thinners like aspirin or plavix or coumadin for the cataract surgery and this left her a bit more vulnerable to a stroke.  Regarding the second eye surgery - the main consideration is for her to try to continue the anti-coagulant (blood thinner) medications before and after surgery (if ok with surgeon) and try to have the surgery with topical anesthesia if at all possible (less risk of bleeding around eye.)  One possible problem is that cataract might be so advanced (hypermature) that a block might be necessary (increased bleeding risk) so blood thinners might need to be stopped - thus increasing risk of stroke.  It could be a dillema.  One possible solution is to find a super talented surgeon who MIGHT be able do the very difficult case with topical anesthesi and continue blood thinners.

MJK MD