Contralateral hemiplegia in herpes zoster ophthalmicus. Role of temporal artery biopsy.

ABSTRACT

We describe clinical, radiological and pathological findings in a case of herpes zoster ophthalmicus who developed contralateral hemiplegia. The CT scan showed discrete infarction of the right internal capsule and the right carotid angiogram showed concentric narrowing of the supraclinoid portion of right internal carotid artery. Superficial temporal artery biopsy showed infiltration by lymphocytes and plasma cells without any granuloma formation or giant cells. The importance of trigemino-vascular connections in the pathogenesis of this complication of herpes zoster ophthalmicus and the role of temporal artery biopsy in the diagnosis of arteritis following herpes zoster are discussed.