title: A case of Collet-Sicard syndrome presenting to the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department and a review of the literature.
abstract: A case of Collet-Sicard Syndrome caused by skull base metastasis of probable breast adenocarcinoma is reported. A 79-year-old lady presented to the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department with progressive left-sided tongue symptoms that she described as swelling. This was initially attributed to local disease, and a biopsy showed the patient was suffering from Necrotizing Sialometaplasia. However, her symptoms rapidly evolved into cranial nerve palsies affecting IX-XII, not initially diagnosed. Subsequent imaging revealed the cause of her worsening symptoms to be a metastatic lesion at her left skull base. Cranial nerve palsies due to metastases to the skull base are rare, and the authors would advise clinicians to adopt a high-index of suspicion in ruling out cranial nerve pathology at the skull base when encountering unusual signs and symptoms in the head and neck region.
authors.affiliation: Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Charles Hastings Way, Worcester, WR5 1DD, UK. njo13@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Neil John
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Opie
authors.forename: Khaleeq
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ur-Rehman
authors.forename: Graham J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: James
mesh_terms: D020436:Accessory Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000556:secondary*; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D003389:Cranial Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D020435:Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D020437:Hypoglossal Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology*; D012797:Sialometaplasia, Necrotizing / Q000175:diagnosis; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary*; D013577:Syndrome; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D020421:Vagus Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology