Sixth nerve palsies in children

The causes of sixth nerve palsies in 75 children, all of whom had undergone modern neuroimaging, were reviewed, Neoplasms or their neurosurgical remov al was the most common cause (n = 34 [45%]); elevated intracranial pressure (nontumor) (15%), traumatic (12%), congenital (11%), inflammatory (7%), mi scellaneous (5%), and idiopathic (5%) causes represented other categories b ut were less commonly present. Isolated sixth nerve palsies were relatively uncommon (9%), On the basis of the relatively high risk of neoplasm, the a uthors suggest neuroimaging early in the clinical course of children with s ixth nerve palsies, even if the palsy is isolated, (C) 1999 by Elsevier Sci ence Inc, All rights reserved.