ISOLATED PALSY OF THE SUPERIOR BRANCH OF THE OCULOMOTOR NERVE DUE TO CHRONIC EROSIVE SPHENOID SINUSITIS

We report one case with isolated unilateral superior branch oculomotor nerve palsy due to an erosive sphenoid sinusitis. Within 8 weeks afte r surgical drainage of the sphenoid sinusitis, the patient recovered f ully from the superior branch oculomotor palsy. In view of the dramati c clinical improvement that followed surgery, we hypothesized a compre ssion of the superior branch of the oculomotor nerve by the sphenoidal abscess. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a super ior branch oculomotor nerve palsy related to an erosive sinusitis and cured by sinusotomy, a safe and simple surgical procedure. Thus, we be lieve that our observation bears some practical implications of clinic al importance in the management of patients who present partial oculom otor nerve palsy.