[Painful ophthalmoplegia: the Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and orbital pseudotumor syndrome].

We experienced 9 patients with "painful ophthalmoplegia", which included 7 cases of the Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (2 males and 5 females, with ages ranging from 36 to 65 years) and 2 cases of the orbital pseudotumor syndrome (2 females aged 42 and 68). The diagnosis of these syndromes was based upon Hunt's criteria and the presence of the intraorbital mass on the brain CT scan. Main manifestations of both syndromes were periorbital pain and ipsilateral oculomotor nerve palsies. Out of 9 cases, 1 patient with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and 1 patient with the orbital pseudotumor syndrome had bilateral retro-orbital pain and ophthalmoplegia. Pain preceded the ophthalmoplegia except in one patient with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome. Total paralysis of the extraocular muscles supplied by the oculomotor nerve was noted in all the nine patients, and mydriasis was observed on the affected side in 4 of 7 patients with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and 2 patients with the orbital pseudotumor syndrome. Neurological involvement was not only the oculomotor nerve but also the other cranial nerves; the optic nerve (in 4 cases with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and 2 cases with the orbital pseudotumor syndrome), the abducens nerve (in 3 cases with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and 1 case with the orbital pseudotumor syndrome), and the first division of the trigeminal nerve (in 2 cases with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome). Six patients with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and 2 patients with the orbital pseudotumor syndrome had palpebral edema. Visual disturbance and palpebral edema were severer in the patients with the orbital pseudotumor syndrome. After corticosteroid hormone was administered, there was diminution of the pain within 2 weeks.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)