ABSTRACT
Traumatic bilateral abducens nerve palsy is rare and is associated with intracranial, skull and cervical spine injuries. We report a case of bilateral abducens nerve palsy in a 40-month-old patient with a skull base fracture. The injury mechanism was associated with direct nerve injury caused by a right petrous bone fracture and indirect injury by frontal impact on the abducens nerve at the point of fixation to the petrous portion and Dorello`s canal. The emergency physician should be aware of injuries and the mechanism of abducens nerve palsy in head trauma.
Subject(s)
Humans , Abducens Nerve , Abducens Nerve Diseases , Craniocerebral Trauma , Emergencies , Petrous Bone , Child, Preschool , Skull , Skull Base , SpineABSTRACT
Bilateral traumatic abducens nerve palsy is a rare condition. We report a case associated with Hangman's fracture without skull fracture. Seventeen cases of bilateral traumatic nerve palsy were found in the literature and only four cases had bilateral traumatic abducens nerve palsy associated with cervical spine fracture without skull fracture. In case of head and neck injury, the abducens nerve may be damaged at the point of fixation to the dura mater. The pathogenesis, the clinical conditions and the radiological findings are presented.