HEADACHE CAUSED BY A SPHENOID MUCOCELE BUT PRESENTING AS AN ERGOTAMINE-INDUCED HEADACHE

In a 6-year-old woman, symptomatic headache caused by a mucocele of th e sphenoid sinus led to ergotamine abuse and subsequent ergotamine-ind uced headache. Since there were no neurological symptoms initially and the patient previously suffered from migraine, the mucocele was not r ecognized. Only after unsuccessful drug withdrawal therapy and an MRI, was the correct diagnosis made. Surgical removal of the mucocele led to complete relief of headache within 3 weeks. We conclude that ergota mine-induced headache can develop on the basis of symptomatic headache . In spite of the effectiveness of ergotamine tartrate, an MRI should be performed if focal neurological symptoms occur.