A Case of Isolated Complete Oculomotor Nerve Palsy Following Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Choi, Nayeon; Cho, Hyun Jin; Park, Kyung Ah; Hong, Sang Duk

Case Report

Journal of Rhinology 2014;21(2):134-136.
Published online November 30, 2014.

A Case of Isolated Complete Oculomotor Nerve Palsy Following Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Nayeon Choi, Hyun Jin Cho, Kyung Ah Park, Sang Duk Hong

¹Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. kkam97@gmail.com
²Department of Opthalmology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.

Abstract

Orbital complications after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), such as optic nerve or medial rectus injuries, are well known, but isolated complete oculomotor nerve palsy has never been reported. In this case, a 31-year-old male was transferred to our hospital after ESS. Physical examination showed complete left oculomotor nerve palsy, with a bony defect on the sellar floor, which had not fully recovered after more than 1 year. We hypothesized that blunt trauma could be the main cause of the oculomotor palsy. Surgeons performing ESS must keep in mind the possibility of oculomotor palsy due to blunt trauma, especially when operating around the sphenoid and posterior ethmoid sinus.

Key Words: Endoscopic Sinus Surgery;Orbital Complication;Oculomotor Nerve Palsy