[Simultaneous presentation of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and oculomotor nerve palsy due to the nonruptured internal carotid-posterior communicating artery aneurysm: a case report]

Abstract

A 45-year-old female developed mild dysesthesia and swelling, followed by ptosisand trigeminal pain, in the right side of the face. Her past medical history was unremarkable, and she had not been aware of any infectious sign. A local otolaryngologist administered glucocorticoid therapy that resolved the face pain, but the ptosis persisted. Neurological examination found complete right oculomotor nerve paresis and mild sensory loss in the first and second segments of the right trigeminal nerve. Blood examination found no abnormalities. Neuroimaging revealed a saccular aneurysm at the branching site of the posterior communicating artery, projecting posteriorly and adjacent to the dorsum sellae, without other intracranial abnormalities. Cerebral angiography demonstrated poor opacification of the superior ophthalmic vein and cavernous sinus on the right side. The patient underwent coil embolization under a diagnosis of symptomatic aneurysm, but her oculomotor neuropathy was only partially improved. We thought that the impairment of the oculomotor function by inflammatory reaction in the cavernous sinus and mechanical compression by the aneurysm had already persisted for too long for post-treatment recovery. We think that the simultaneous occurrence of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and oculomotor nerve palsy may have resulted because trigeminal neuralgia had increased the blood pressure to induce rapid growth of the preexisting aneurysm, or the inflammatory reaction in the cavernous sinus had promoted the growth of the aneurysm, or that the association was by chance.