BACKGROUND Lower cranial nerve (IX-XII) palsy is a rare condition with numerous causes, usually non-traumatic. In the literature it has been described only a few times after trauma, mostly accompanied by a fracture of the occipital condyle. Although these types of fractures have rarely been reported one could suspect they have been under-diagnosed. During the past decade they have been seen mor...

A woman with pituitary macroadenoma causing pressure symptoms and a partial right third cranial nerve palsy during pregnancy is described. Complete resolution occurred using oral bromocriptine therapy alone and the remainder of the pregnancy was uneventful.

Abstract Case Presentation A 61-year-old gentleman with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia presented right sided disseminated vesicles, otalgia, hearing loss, facial weakness, dysphagia, hoarseness, breathlessness, and stridor. In the preceding 48 hours he had two A&E presentations only throat tightness mild breathlessness. Cranial nerve (CN) examination demonstrated cheek numbness absent jaw je...

Traumatic injuries of the abducens nerve as a consequence of facial and/or head trauma occur with or without associated cervical or skull base fracture. This is the first report on unilateral avulsion of the abducens nerve in a 29-year-old man with severe right facial trauma. In addition, he exhibited mild left facial palsy, and moderate left hearing disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI...

Trigeminal neuralgia, also called tic douloureux, is a common and potentially disabling pain syndrome, which affects the trigeminal or fifth cranial nerve. The precise pathophysiology of Trigeminal neuralgia remains obscure. The disorder causes extreme, sporadic, sudden burning or shock-like face pain that lasts from few seconds to minutes and can be physically and mentally incapacitating. More...

intracranial course. The sixth nerve occupies a superficial position in relation to the fourth ventricle, which communicates directly through the foramina of Magendie and Luschka with the subarachnoid space. Dye studies have shown that agents introduced into the spinal canal frequently reach the medulla, which may explain the peculiar affinity of the sixth nerve to palsy.4 The contrast agents i...