Causes and treatment outcomes of third, fourth and sixth cranial nerve palsy.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the causes and the treatment outcomes of third, fourth and sixth cranial nerve palsy

MATERIAL AND METHOD: Medical records of 157 cases with extra-ocular muscle palsy from third, fourth or sixth cranial nerve palsy between January 1995 and December 2009 were reviewed. Demographic data, age, causes of extra-ocular muscle palsy and treatment outcomes were record and analyzed. The patients who were followed-up less than 6 months, myasthenia gravis and extra-ocular muscles fibrosis were excluded from the present study.

RESULTS

One hundred and fifty-seven cases from 600 cases were included in the present study. The most common cranial nerve palsy was the sixth cranial nerve with 63 cases (40.1%). Of 157 cases, the causes were trauma 41 cases (26.1%), microvascular occlusion cause 34 cases (21.7%) and congenital cause 21 cases (13.4%). Cranial nerve palsy patients from microvascular occlusion cause spontaneously improved 25 of 34 cases (73.50%) in 6 months. All patients (21 cases)from congenital cranial nerve palsy had extra-ocular muscle surgery and 17 patients (80.9%) were successful.

CONCLUSION

Sixth cranial nerve palsy was the most common cranial nerve palsy. Most patients with cranial nerve palsy from vascular cause spontaneously improved in 6 months. Congenital cranial nerve palsy patients need extra-ocular muscle surgery and most cases were successful