Radiation-induced cranial nerve palsy: hypoglossal nerve and vocal cord palsies.
Cranial nerve palsies are an unexpected complication of radiotherapy for head and neck tumours. We present a case of this radiation-induced cranial palsy. An 18-year-old female with nasopharyngeal carcinoma developed a right hypoglossal nerve palsy 42 months after cancericidal doses of radiotherapy. In addition, she developed a bilateral vocal cord palsy 62 months after therapy. Follow-up over four years has demonstrated no evidence of tumour recurrence and no sign of neurological improvement.
Takimoto
T
T
Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Japan.
Saito
Y
Y
Suzuki
M
M
Nishimura
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy; D003389:Cranial Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000209:etiology*