title: Unilateral abducens nerve palsy: a presenting sign of sphenoid sinus mucocoeles.
abstract: Sphenoid sinus mucocoeles can stimulate a variety of pathological conditions and patients can present to a range of specialists. Because of the relative rarity of sphenoid sinus mucocoeles, diagnosis is often delayed and these lesions can progressively expand and cause direct mechanical compression on adjacent structures. We present three cases which presented with an abducens nerve palsy. Early surgical intervention is advocated and these patients' symptoms resolved following surgery. Although several conditions can present with an abducens nerve palsy, it is important to consider a sphenoid sinus mucocoele in the differential diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muneer
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000010:Abducens Nerve; D000328:Adult; D003389:Cranial Nerve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009078:Mucocele / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009886:Ophthalmoplegia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed