Horner Syndrome after C5,6,7 fusion

[deb5734]

I Had neck surgery Nov. 2012, plates, screws, cage.  while closing up surgical site, I crashed.  BP and EKG changes from NSR to unrecognizable rhythm (looked flattened w/ few beats), unable to get SAT and ETco2 low, pulses were very weak and fading in and out.  they ended up pushing epi which  took by bp from 50/39 to 270/174.  stablized me and sent to recovery.  monitored, and found troponin level at 6.  so transferred to coronary care ICU for week until able to do echo and cath to rule out heart damage.  NONE!!  went home and had some of my medical friends over for a visit and they said your left eye is drooping, I then told them that I thought my whole left side of my face felt funny, I had tingling, numbness and a headache all on that side only.  My eye would blur if i became tired, or watched t.v. for to long or worked on computer.  Neurosurgeon said to watch it for a while.  well today, Feb. 8 2013, 3 months post op, I had a scheduled appt. with my neuro ophthalmologist for another right eye issue (thinning of the optic nerve fibers) and he was testing my pupils, and testing and testing and turned the lights on and said your pupils are different sizes.  so he asked me a few questions and then decided to do the "drop" test.  after about 1/2 hour he came back in looked at my eyes and said you have Horner's Syndrome!  WHAT IS THAT?  I asked.  I'm still not quite sure.  But do you think my neck surgery could have caused this? and can the tingling and numbness be related to the Horner's Syndrome or could that be something different.  I have so many ??? I don't know where to begin.

Any help would be appreciated by a professional.

Thanks

[Doreen Fazio, M.D.]

Horner's syndrome results from a disruption of the sympathetic nerve supply, anywhere along the chain from the brain to the eye.  Neck surgery could certainly be involved.  I would ask the neuro-ophthalmologist to order an MRI of the brain, and an MRA of the carotid arteries and brain circulation to be sure there is no dissection which caused the Horner's.  You may also need a chest CT scan if all the other tests are negative.

[deb5734]

Dr. Fazio:  when the neuro ophthalmologist was measuring my pupils, he said 3.25 and 2.5, what does that mean?  and will Horner's syndrome ever go away or is it permanent