title: Isolated abducens nerve palsy after closed head trauma: a pediatric case report.
abstract: Cranial nerve lessions often accompany head trauma. Nevertheless, isolated involvement of the sixth nerve without any cranial or cervical fracture is rare. Nerve injury could occur at the sites of the dural entry points and at the petrous apex during down- or upward movement of the brain caused by violent linear force to the head. Management is symptomatic. Most cases improve within three months and many resolve by six months, but spontaneous recovery does not always occur. We describe the case of a 13-year-old boy who developed isolated abducens nerve palsy after closed head trauma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wojciechowski
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poot
authors.forename: Katrien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Keyser
authors.forename: Berten
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ceulemans
mesh_terms: D020434:Abducens Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*