Isolated palsy of the superior branch of the oculomotor nerve due to chronic erosive sphenoid sinusitis.

Abstract

We report one case with isolated unilateral superior branch oculomotor nerve palsy due to an erosive sphenoid sinusitis. Within 8 weeks after surgical drainage of the sphenoid sinusitis, the patient recovered fully from the superior branch oculomotor palsy. In view of the dramatic clinical improvement that followed surgery, we hypothesized a compression of the superior branch of the oculomotor nerve by the sphenoidal abscess. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a superior branch oculomotor nerve palsy related to an erosive sinusitis and cured by sinusotomy, a safe and simple surgical procedure. Thus, we believe that our observation bears some practical implications of clinical importance in the management of patients who present partial oculomotor nerve palsy.