Computed Tomography Angiography of Bilateral Intracavernous Internal Carotid Artery Aneurysms

Bilateral intracavernous internal carotid artery aneurysms are rare. They are more common in elderly females and are associated with hypertension. We present the computed tomography angiography findings of an 81-year-old female with history of hypertension who came complaining of diplopia and headache. Examination revealed bilateral sixth nerve palsy with left third nerve palsy. External ocular examination was normal. Computed tomography angiography was done and revealed bilateral intracavernous internal carotid artery aneurysms. She was referred to neurosurgery for further management.     

Management of diplopia secondary to neurosurgical injury of the orbital roof

BACKGROUND: Diplopia related to neurosurgical procedures is often consecutive to oculomotor nerve lesions. We hereby report an oculomotor dysfunction secondary to an orbital roof effraction and its treatment. HISTORY AND SIGNS: Following surgery for a left anterior communicating artery aneurysm, a 45-year-old woman reported vertical diplopia associated with a left orbital hematoma. The diagnosis of third cranial nerve palsy was excluded by orbital imaging which revealed an orbital roof defect with incarceration of the levator palpebrae and superior rectus. THERAPY AND OUTCOME: As neurosurgeons advised against muscle adhesiolysis, diplopia was corrected by a two-step procedure on the oculomotor muscles. We first corrected horizontal and torsional deviations by operating on the healthy eye, before correcting the vertical deviation on the fellow eye. This two-step extraocular muscle surgery allowed restoration of binocular single vision in a useful field of gaze. CONCLUSIONS: Diplopia can occur as a rare orbital complication during neurosurgical procedures. Surgery of extraocular muscles can provide good functional results.     

Incomplete Oculomotor Palsy with Pupil Sparing Caused by Compression of the Oculomotor Nerve by a Posterior Communicating Posterior Cerebral Aneurysm

Purpose

To report a patient with agenesis of both internal carotid canals who presented with incomplete oculomotor palsy with pupil sparing.

Methods

The incomplete oculomotor palsy was followed clinically, and the precise anatomical relation of the aneurysm to the subarachnoid oculomotor nerve was investigated during clipping surgery for the aneurysm.

Results

A 39-year-old woman with agenesis of both internal carotid arteries was admitted because of diplopia and left blepharoptosis. The left superior palpebral and the superior rectus muscles were severely palsied. The paralysis of the medial rectus muscle was milder than that of the former two muscles, and the inferior rectus was the least affected muscle. The papillary reflexes were normal. Examination during clipping surgery showed that the aneurysm was located below the oculomotor nerve in the subarachnoid space about 6.5?mm from its exit from the midbrain. The differences in severity and resolution time of the palsies of the extraocular muscles suggested that the fibers destined for the superior levator and the superior rectus were concentrated on the caudomedial portion of the subarachnoid oculomotor nerve. The fibers innervating the medial rectus muscle were located within the core of the nerve, and the fibers innervating the pupils and the inferior rectus muscle occupied a more rostral part.

Conclusions

The functional distribution of fibers within the subarachnoid oculomotor nerve about 6.5?mm from its exit from the midbrain succeeds to that of the intraparenchymal oculomotor nerve.?Jpn J Ophthalmol 2007;51:470–473 © Japanese Ophthalmological Society 2007

     

A case of oculomotor nerve palsy and choroidal tuberculous granuloma associated with tuberculous meningoencephalitis

We report a rare case of oculomotor nerve palsy and choroidal tuberculous granuloma associated with tuberculous meningoencephalitis. A 15-year-old male visited our hospital for an acute drop of the left eyelid and diplopia. He has been on anti-tuberculous drugs (isoniazid, rifampin) for 1 year for his tuberculous encephalitis. A neurological examination revealed a conscious clear patient with isolated left oculomotor nerve palsy, which manifested as ptosis, and a fundus examination revealed choroidal tuberculoma. Other anti-tuberculous drugs (pyrazinamide, ethambutol) and a steroid (dexamethasone) were added. After 3 months on this medication, ptosis of the left upper eyelid improved and the choroidal tuberculoma decreasedin size, but a right homonymous visual field defect remained. When a patient with tuberculous meningitis presents with abrupt onset oculomotor nerve palsy, rapid re-diagnosis should be undertaken and proper treatment initiated, because the prognosis is critically dependent on the timing of adequate treatment.     

Bilateral visual loss and ipsilateral ophthalmoplegia due to unilateral sphenoid sinus mucocele

Bilateral impaired visual acuity, unilateral oculomotor and trochlear nerve paresis, and headache due to sphenoid sinus mucocele is rare. An 81-year-old woman developed bilateral headache, left-sided ptosis, bilateral visual impairment, diplopia, and rhinorrhea. Neurologic examination revealed bilaterally reduced visual acuity and left-sided paresis of the oculomotor and trochlear nerves. Spiral CT and T2-weighted MRI of the perinasal sinuses revealed a left-sided sphenoid sinus mucocele with bony destruction of the surrounding walls and involvement of the orbital apex. Endonasal transsphenoidal drainage of the mucocele led to a complete recovery of the cranial nerve palsies and marked improvement of visual acuity. Sphenoid sinus mucocele can present with bilateral visual loss and unilateral oculomotor and trochlear nerve paresis. Endoscopic drainage of the mucocele can lead to almost complete recovery.     

Optic nerve breast metastasis mimicking meningioma

Purpose: We report on an optic nerve breast metastasis masquerading initially as a central retinal vein occlusion and later as an optic nerve meningioma. Methods: A 60-year-old female presented with a left central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). She represented 7 months later with left upper ptosis, proptosis and painful rubeotic glaucoma. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging suggested an optic nerve meningioma. On referral to the regional orbital unit, a mild left external ophthalmoplegia was noted and, in view of previous right mastectomy and chemotherapy 3 years earlier, the left optic nerve was biopsied simultaneously with left enucleation of her painful eye. Results: Histopathology showed infiltration of the optic nerve and meningeal sheath spreading into the subretinal space and vitreous by malignant epithelial cells, consistent with breast origin. Further CT imaging and bone scans revealed no other metastases. Single field left orbit radiotherapy of 20 Gy was given in five fractions and Arimidex (Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, Cheshire, England) was commenced with the cessation of tamoxifen. The patient was also given an ocular prosthesis. Sadly, she lost vision in her other eye due to retrograde malignant invasion of her optic chiasm and died 6 weeks later. Conclusions: Orbital and choroidal metastases are relatively common but isolated optic nerve metastases are extremely rare. Progressive infiltration of the nerve is likely to enhance CRVO ischaemia and resultant rubeotic glaucoma. In the diagnosis of CRVO, proptosis or external ophthalmoplegia, the presence of pre-existing malignant disease should raise concerns, as delay in diagnosis may affect outcome, particularly if the metastases are sensitive to pharmacological therapy.     

Rapid, painless unilateral vision loss in a 37-year-old healthy woman

A 37-year-old woman experienced painless, progressive vision loss to no light perception in the left eye over the course of 3 days. The right eye was unaffected. On examination, the only other abnormal finding was a +4 left afferent pupillary defect. She was initially diagnosed with retrobulbar optic neuritis and admitted for treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone. Neuro-imaging revealed a large right anterior cerebral artery aneurysm that crossed the midline to compress the left optic nerve. The aneurysm was treated with coil embolization, which was technically successful but which did not lead to significant improvement in vision.     

Blepharoptosis in association with ipsilateral adduction and elevation palsy A form of fascicular oculomotor palsy

A 16-year-old girl hospitalized with a sudden onset of blepharoptosis and diplopia revealed a combined paresis of the elevator palpebrae, the superior rectus, and the medial rectus muscles of the left eye as quantitatively demonstrated by the Hess chart and levator action test. A small midbrain lesion confined to the left cerebral peduncle and tegmentum, presumably by an ischemic or demyelinative process, was identified on magnetic resonance imaging. Despite uncertainty in its pathology, the incomplete oculomotor palsy of this case is certainly a consequence of oculomotor fascicular involvement in the intra-axial nerve root which initially fans out and then converges into the peripheral compact bundle. We speculate on the revised version of the oculomotor fascicular arrangements by which the neurophthalmologic features of the current case are better explained.     

Fourth nerve palsy as an initial sign of internal carotid-posterior communicating artery aneurysm

A 54-year-old female complained of vertical diplopia on downward gaze with a slight headache lasting two days. When she gazed in a nasal lower direction, right hypertropia became obvious and the Bielschowsky head-tilt test was positive. A trochlear nerve palsy of right eye was diagnosed. Several examinations were performed, including blood chemical and serological examinations, plain CT examination, and cerebrospinal fluid examination. Three days after appearance of the trochlear nerve palsy, oculomotor nerve palsy of right eye occurred with severe ocular and head pain, and a four-vessel study disclosed a large aneurysm at the IC-PC portion and two more aneurysms at the distal portion of the middle cerebral artery. This is a very rare case of trochlear nerve palsy as the initial sign of IC-PC aneurysm and the pathogenesis of trochlear nerve palsy was discussed.     

Ocular Neuromyotonia Noted after Recent Botulinum Toxin Injection for Sixth Nerve Palsy Following Resection of a Posterior Fossa Skull Base Meningioma

A 56-year-old female complained of diplopia immediately after surgical excision of a recurrent left skull base tuberculum meningioma. She was found to have a left sixth nerve palsy, which was subsequently treated with botulinum toxin injection to the medial rectus muscle. Three months post injection, the patient had partial recovery of the sixth nerve palsy and new-onset ocular neuromyotonia.     

Mucoceles of the sphenoid sinus and their ophthalmological manifestations

The authors describe two cases of spheno?d sinus mucoceles, the first with a chiasmatic syndrome and the second with an oculomotor paralysis, and compare these cases with those described in the litterature. This rare benign tumor is revealed by ophthalmological complications which result from compression of adjacent structures. The main clinical findings are pain, decrease in visual acuity, proptosis, and diplopia. Plain X rays and pluridirectional tomographies are usually sufficient to make the diagnosis but CT scan is the procedure of choice for defining the extent of the lesion and thus assuring an appropriate surgical approach. The CT scan findings have been reviewed. Early and correct diagnosis is important to prevent permanent visual loss by optic nerve atrophy.     

Aberrant regeneration of the oculomotor nerve followed by intracranial aneurysm: case report

To report a case of aberrant regeneration followed by acute palsy of the oculomotor nerve caused by intracranial aneurysm. A 59-year-old patient was attended in February 2006 complaining of headache with diplopia and blepharoptosis in the right eye. At the external ocular motility exam. Aduction, supraduction and infraduction defects with blepharoptosis in the right eye were observed. Regarding the internal ocular motility, mydriasis in the right eye. Acute palsy of the oculomotor nerve in the right eye was diagnosed and neurological examination was requested. At the Department of Neurosurgery, after having diagnosed aneurysm of the posterior communicating artery, the patient was submitted to an operation. In December 2006, it improvement of the aduction was observed, supraduction and infraduction defects remained and blepharoptosis improved during aduction of the right eye. In the internal ocular motility, miosis in the affected eye. The diagnosis of the aberrant regeneration of the oculomotor nerve after acute palsy was formulated based on anamnesis and ophthalmological follow-up tests.     

Aneurysm mimicking intracranial growth of optic nerve sheath meningioma

A patient with a 30-year history of blindness in the right eye developed progressive temporal visual loss in the left eye. Examination showed right optic atrophy with optociliary shunts and left band atrophy. These clinical findings suggested that the visual deficit was caused by a right optic nerve sheath meningioma that had grown intracranially to involve the chiasm. Magnetic resonance imaging and surgical exploration revealed a perioptic meningioma extending from the orbit through the optic canal and over the tuberculum sellae. The tumor did not impinge on the optic chiasm or the left optic nerve. The chiasm was compressed by a thrombosed giant right internal carotid artery aneurysm.     

Painful ophthalmoplegia--a clinical case

We present the case of the patient S.M., female, 32 years old, who came in our eye clinic for left painful ophthalmoplegia. The onset of the clinical manifestations was a year and half ago, with the decrease of visual acuity at left eye, left partial ophthalmoplegia (partial lesion of the left oculomotor nerve) and secondary left trigeminal neuralgia. The paraclinical investigations excluded the systemic and locoregional diseases. CT exams, the left internal carotid angiography and the surgical intervention at the Neurosurgery Clinic in Timi?oara revealed a left juxtasella tumor at the base skull, located extradural, which capsule invade the left nerve oculomotor. We conclusion that the painful ophthalmoplegia are complex clinical syndromes, with a different etiopathogenesis (inflammatory, tumoral, vascular malformations: aneurysm etc.) and their diagnosis and treatment need a good interdisciplinary collaboration: ophthalmologist-neurologist-neurosurgeon-endocrinologist-paraclinical exams.     

Biopsy-negative cranial arteritis with complete oculomotor nerve palsy.

Cranial arteritis (CA) presenting as sudden blindness is well documented, and early recognition of this entity in an elderly patient with visual loss or diplopia is of critical importance. This entity presents a difficult diagnostic problem when temporal artery biopsy is negative, as in our case, or when the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is normal. The present report details an unusual patient with "occult temporal arteritis" who sustained abrupt monocular visual loss and subsequent ipsilateral ophthalmoplegia involving all functions of the oculomotor nerve. Despite negative biopsies of each temporal artery, other probable etiologies of the symptom complex were excluded, and the diagnosis of cranial arteritis is warranted. The patient is unique in that the oculomotor palsy is complete and permanent. This report emphasizes cranial arteritis masquerading as an intracranial aneurysm.     

Oculomotor Palsy as the Initial Finding in Neurofibromatosis Type 2

A 15-year-old boy with oculomotor palsy in the left eye as the initial finding of neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) was presented. The eye motility examination revealed restriction in adduction, elevation and depression of the left eye and mild ptosis of the left eye. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a 3 cm sized mass in the cerebellar vermis that showed features of a schwannoma; bilateral lesions in the acoustic canals and bilateral optic nerve buckling: these findings were consistent with a diagnosis of NF2. Further thin-section MRI revealed a mass in the left cavernous sinus segment of the oculomotor nerve and a thickening of the right oculomotor nerve.     

Acute Transient Oculomotor Nerve Palsy from Presumed Cavernous Angioma in an Infant

Cavernous angiomas of the cranial nerves are extremely rare, and those of the oculomotor (third) cranial nerve are rarer still, with no previous cases having been reported in the literature. We report herein the first case of a presumed cavernous angioma involving the subarachnoid portion of the left third nerve presenting as an acute left third nerve palsy in an infant. The child was followed without intervention and the palsy completely resolved. Given the poor functional results with attempted surgical excision and the potential for spontaneous improvement in oculomotor nerve function, it is reasonable to follow patients with these lesions without intervention.     

Burkitt's lymphoma presenting as oculomotor palsy in an hiv-positive patient

PURPOSE: To report a case of Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) in an HIV-positive patient presenting as complete third nerve palsy. METHODS: Interventional case report. A 34-year-old man presented with headache, left eye pain, diplopia, and complete ptosis of several hours' duration. Left eye examination disclosed complete third nerve palsy with pupillary involvement. Significant hepatomegalia was noted at physical examination and computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen showed multiple solid lesions. RESULTS: Liver biopsy was consistent with Burkitt's lymphoma. Bone marrow biopsy was normal. Brain imaging was normal. Work-up also revealed positivity for human immunodeficiency virus. Chemotherapy treatment was started. Two months later, ocular motility examination was normal. CONCLUSIONS: Although BL affects the central nervous system very rarely, BL should be considered in any immunosuppressed patient presenting with diplopia or ophthalmoparesis.     

A rare case of bilateral optic nerve sheath meningioma

A 60-year-old female presented with gradual, painless, progressive diminution of vision, and progressive proptosis of left eye since 7 years. Ophthalmological examination revealed mild proptosis and total optic atrophy in the left eye. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) brain with orbit showed bilateral optic nerve sheath meningioma (ONSM) involving the intracranial, intracanalicular, intraorbital part of the optic nerve extending up to optic chiasma and left cavernous sinus.     

Visual impairment by multiple vascular embolization with hydroxyapatite particles

We demonstrate a case of ocular impairment caused by a hydroxyapatite filler injection and review the prior literature on clinical presentations. A healthy woman, who received a hydroxyapatite filler injection into the glabella for nose augmentation suddenly had symptoms of nausea, diplopia, visual loss in the left eye, and impaired consciousness. Her left eye showed paresis of the inferior branch of the oculomotor nerve, conjunctival injection, cell infiltration in the anterior chamber, and multiple white spots in the nasal fundus. Purpura was detected in the area from the glabella to the left forehead. An orbital computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated high-density deposits along vessels in the left medial orbit and forehead. Although her consciousness stabilized after a few days, the vision in her left eye deteriorated due to corneal edema and both hypopyon and hyphema in the anterior chamber, and the skin from the glabella to the left forehead developed necrosis. Multiple plaques were observed within the conjunctival and scleral vessels. After 2 months, diplopia and visual loss issues were mostly resolved. A histological examination of the conjunctiva specimen showed multiple foreign bodies plugged vessels that could be dissolved by decalcification. Recently, the number of complications by cosmetic filler injections has increased. The migrated hydroxyapatite particles in vessels cause multiple vascular emboli that can lead to various symptoms.