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Abducens ocular neuromyotonia as a delayed complication of oropharyngeal carcinoma treated with radiation
Author(s) -
Sychev Yevgeniy V.,
McInnis Colin P.,
Francis Courtney E.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.24370
Subject(s) - neuromyotonia , abducens nerve , medicine , radiation therapy , skull , complication , extraocular muscles , surgery , pathology , palsy , alternative medicine , antibody , immunology
Background Ocular neuromyotonia (ONM) is a disorder characterized by periodic involuntary extraocular muscle contraction that occurs almost exclusively in the setting of prior radiation to the sella or skull base. We present the first case of abducens neuromyotonia associated with oropharyngeal carcinoma. Methods and Results We report a case of a 63‐year‐old patient with abducens ONM occurring 16 years after radiation treatment for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. A literature review was performed using Medline and PubMed databases to search for all documented cases of abducens neuromyotonia. Our review found 20 cases of abducens neuromyotonia but none after radiotherapy (RT) to the oropharynx. Conclusion Abducens ONM can occur because of disease at anatomic locations remote from the course of the sixth cranial nerve, most likely because of the irradiated area exceeding the intended field. Our case also supports the fact that RT can significantly precede symptom onset. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38 : E2428–E2431, 2016