title: Delayed pneumocephalus-induced cranial neuropathy.
abstract: Pneumocephalus is a common occurrence after cranial surgery, with patients typically remaining asymptomatic from a moderate amount of intracranial air. Postsurgical pneumocephalus rarely causes focal neurological deficits; furthermore, cranial neuropathy from postsurgical pneumocephalus is exceedingly uncommon. Only 3 cases have been previously reported that describe direct cranial nerve compression from intracranial air resulting in an isolated single cranial nerve deficit. The authors present a patient who developed dysconjugate eye movements from bilateral oculomotor nerve palsy. Direct cranial nerve compression occurred as a result of postoperative pneumocephalus in the interpeduncular cistern. The isolated cranial neuropathy gradually recovered as the intracranial air was reabsorbed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Wayne State University, Detroit Medical Center, and Karmanos Cancer Institute, 4160 John R Street, Suite 930, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
authors.forename: Neena I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Marupudi
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mittal