Trigeminal sensory neuropathy and facial contact dermatitis due to Anthurium sp.

BACKGROUND Trigeminal sensory neuropathy (TSN) describes a heterogeneous group of disorders manifesting as facial numbness. OBJECTIVE We report the case of a patient who had TSN associated with contact dermatitis due to Anthurium sp. METHOD/RESULTS A 21-year-old female patient developed left hemifacial contact dermatitis after exposure to the anthurium plant. The patient had paresthesias and pain in the V2 and V3 divisions of the left trigeminal nerve. Eight days after its onset the dermatitis resolved, but numbness developed in the V2 and V3 divisions of the left trigeminal nerve. Cranial CT scan and MRI, as well as CSF and extensive work-up exams, were normal. After one month the symptoms disappeared completely. CONCLUSION Anthurium sp, an indoor ornamental plant that contains calcium oxalate crystals, and can causes contact dermatitis. To our knowledge, this is the first report associating TSN with contact dermatitis due to Anthurium sp.