Horner's syndrome caused by intra-oral trauma.
A 7-year-old boy developed a Horner's syndrome after falling on a stick that penetrated his peritonsillar soft palate. He did not suffer from any major vascular injury, and pharmacologic testing indicated a preganglionic lesion. We review previously reported cases of oculosympathetic paresis caused by surgical and nonsurgical intra-oral trauma. Because of the proximity between sympathetic and vascular structures in the lateral and parapharyngeal space, Horner's syndrome in the setting of intra-oral trauma should prompt evaluation of the internal carotid artery. Magnetic resonance imaging may be a reasonable noninvasive method for this investigation.
Liu
G T
GT
Division of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston MA 02115.
Deskin
R W
RW
Bienfang
D C
DC
D015875:Anisocoria / Q000209:etiology; D001763:Blepharoptosis / Q000209:etiology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D020212:Carotid Artery Injuries; D002648:Child; D006732:Horner Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D015877:Miosis / Q000209:etiology; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000293:injuries*