Idiopathic multiple cranial neuropathy. A twenty year experience.

A report on 8 patients with idiopathic multiple cranial neuropathy is presented. The syndrome consists of headache, facial pain and diplopia preceding the onset of cranial nerve palsy. The cranial nerves most frequently involved were the third, fifth and seventh. All patients were treated with corticosteroid therapy. The symptoms were self-limiting in their course and corticosteroid therapy appeared to hasten recovery of function. Only in a few cases a noticeable neurological deficiency remained. Differential diagnosis and etiological considerations are discussed.