Transient internuclear ophthalmoplegia following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion

BACKGROUND: Internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO), characterized by impaired horizontal eye movement, occurred following an anterior cervical discectomy/fusions (ACDF). CASE DESCRIPTION: A 48-year-old female with recurrent C5-6 foraminal stenosis presented with right C6 radiculopathy. She underwent a C5-6 ACDF, but postoperatively, complained of diplopia. Her examination revealed left-eye INO. Notably, the brain magnetic resonance imaging showed no significant radiological findings. The patient’s diplopia and INO resolved spontaneously on postoperative day 2 and never recurred. CONCLUSION: Ocular complications following anterior cervical spine procedures are rare. Here, a 48-year-old female developed left eye INO following an ACDF that spontaneously resolved on postoperative day 2.