title: Isolated glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves palsy due to fracture involving the left jugular foramen.
abstract: This report describes a case of delayed post-traumatic glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves palsy (i.e. dysphonia and swallowing dysfunction). A high resolution CT study of the cranial base detected a fracture rim encroaching on the left jugular foramen. Treatment consisted in supportive measures with incomplete recovery during a one-year follow-up period. Lower cranial nerves palsies after head trauma are rare and, should they occur, a thorough investigation in search of posterior cranial base and cranio-cervical lesions is warranted. The presumptive mechanism in our case is a fracture-related oedema and ischemic damage to the nerves leading to the delayed occurrence of the palsy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery/Neurotraumatology, WHO Neurotrauma Collaborating Centre, Ospedale M.Bufalini (OMB), Cesena, Italy. n.alberio@tin.it
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alberio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cultrera
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Servadei
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D020435:Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D019291:Skull Base / Q000293:injuries*; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D013577:Syndrome; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D020421:Vagus Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000209:etiology*; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000209:etiology*