Bilateral hypoglossal palsies: a late complication of curative radiotherapy.

A 57 year old man developed bilateral hypoglossal nerve palsies 6 years after radiotherapy for carcinoma of the uvula. Follow-up over 2 years has demonstrated no evidence of tumour recurrence and no sign of neurological improvement. Reactive fibrosis and vascular insufficiency secondary to radiation and may have lead to hypoglossal nerve compression and infarction.