Facts, Views & Vision
in ObGyn

Journal of the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy

esge_logo

A reversible posterior leucoencephalopathy syndrome including blindness caused by preeclampsia

G. Vandenbossche1, J. Maquet2, P. Vroonen3, G. Lambert4, M. Nisolle5, F. Kridelka1, P. Emonts1

1 CHU of Liège, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
2 University of Liège, Medical School, Liege, Belgium.
3 CHU of Liège, Department of Emergencies, Liège, Belgium.
4 CHR de la Citadelle, Department of Anesthesiology, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
5 CHR de la Citadelle, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Liège, Belgium. 

Keywords:

Blindness, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, PRES, preeclampsia, pregnancy complication. 


Published online: Dec 08 2016

Abstract

Complications of (pre)eclampsia may involve multiple systems and organs. Neurological symptoms may occur. Visual symptoms concern up to 25% the of patients with severe preeclampsia and 50% of the patients with eclampsia. An uncommon effect of severe preeclampsia is sudden blindness. Blindness may be part of a clinical and radiological presentation named Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES). PRES may lead to permanent neurological de cit, recurrences or death. We report the case of a 24-year-old Caucasian patient, gravida 5 para 2 who developed preeclampsia and PRES complicated with blindness at 32 weeks of gestation. Optimal care allowed visual symptoms to resolve within 24 hours and a favourable maternal outcome and no long- term sequelae. We describe different causes and manifestations of PRES and highlight the need for immediate care in order to optimize the chance of symptoms reversibility.