title: Bilateral abducens nerve palsy following ligamentous C1-C2 distraction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Posttraumatic abducens nerve palsy is well documented following head injury, but only few case reports exist on sixth nerve palsy after cervical spine trauma. Bilateral abducens palsy following vertical C1-C2 ligamentous distraction has not been described yet.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report two patients who sustained motor vehicle accident-related C1-C2 distraction injury and were diagnosed with posttraumatic bilateral abducens nerve palsy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients underwent surgical stabilization of the upper cervical spine and demonstrated a remarkable recovery of the sixth nerve deficit up to 1 year after injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We hypothesize that ligamentous C1-C2 distraction leads to caudal displacement of the brainstem in relation to the cranial base causing traction injury to the abducens nerve at its entry into Dorello's canal in the cavernous sinus.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229-3900, USA.
authors: Bradley A
authors: BA
authors: Dengler
authors: Viktor
authors: V
authors: Bartanusz
mesh_terms: D020434:Abducens Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020127:Recovery of Function