BILATERAL 3RD NERVE PALSY FROM MINOR HEAD TRAUMA

A 51-year-old man developed bilateral third nerve palsy following clos ed head trauma without significant alteration of consciousness and no other neurologic deficit. Detailed investigations to rule out pre-exis ting intracranial pathology were unrevealing. Five cases of unilateral isolated third nerve palsy from 'minor head' trauma1-4 and eight case s of isolated bilateral third nerve palsy from severe head trauma1,2,5 have been reported, one of which was bilateral5. This is the second b ilateral isolated third nerve palsy to be recorded with 'minor' head t rauma.