Perioperative Retinal Artery Occlusion

Risk factors for RAO in cardiac surgery include giant cell arteritis, carotid stenosis, stroke, hypercoagulable state, and DM with ophthalmic complications; associated with lower risk were female gender, thrombocytopenia, acute coronary syndrome, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, DM 2, and smoking. Surgery in which the heart was opened (e.g., septal repair) versus surgery in which it was not (e.g., CABG) and perioperative bleeding increased the risk of RAO.