[Papilledema with visual loss].

SERIAL CASE REPORTS OF THREE MEN WITH PAPILLEDEMA AND VISUAL LOSS: The patients developed primarily visual loss on one or both sides with angiographically and clinically diagnosed papilledema. The neurological and internistic examinations were unsuspicious; however, serology ultimately confirmed the suspected papillitis in acute syphilis.

CONCLUSION: Papillitis with visual loss can be a symptom of syphilis. Not only the known placoid chorioretinitis syphilis has to be considered but also a detailed medical history and diagnostic measures are essential to determine the cause. The guiding principle is usually also the relatively young age of the patients, male gender, sexual orientation and the lack of classic risk factors for anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) or neurological causes of blurred edge swollen papilla as an intracranial mass lesion (papilledema).