Trigeminal neuralgia caused by a pontine abscess: case report.
OBJECTIVE
Various intracranial abnormalities, including infectious conditions, may manifest as trigeminal neuralgia.


METHODS
A 33-year-old man presented with a 15-day history of right-sided facial pain and numbness. Neurological examination revealed diminished corneal reflex and facial sensation in the right V(1)-V(2) distribution. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a contrast-enhancing lesion centered at the right pons with extension of the enhancement to the sphenoid sinus.


METHODS
Broad-spectrum antibiotics were administered for 6 weeks. This resulted in alleviation of symptoms and resolution of the lesion as revealed by repeat magnetic resonance imaging.


CONCLUSIONS
Presentation of a pons abscess with trigeminal neuralgia is rare, and to the best of our knowledge has not been reported previously. The patient was treated successfully with antibiotics alone.
Bekar
Ahmet
A
Department of Neurosurgery, Uludag University School of Medicine, Görükle Bursa, Turkey.
Kocaeli
Hasan
H
Yilmaz
Emel
E
Doğan
Seref
S
D000038:Abscess / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011149:Pons / Q000382:microbiology*; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus / Q000382:microbiology; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology*