Permanent Visual Loss as a Complication of Decompressive Surgery for the Treatment of Posterior Fossa Tumours: A Report of Two Cases

Posterior fossa tumours are one of the most common types of solid neoplasia in paediatric patients. Although impaired vision can occur at presentation, it usually stabilises or improves after decompressive surgery. However, cases of permanent and profound visual loss have been reported following successful tumour resection, despite receiving little attention from the medical community. In this paper, we present two cases of young patients who experienced severe and permanent visual loss following uncomplicated surgery for posterior fossa tumour removal. We discuss the possible mechanism involved in the visual loss and measures to prevent such a dreadful complication.