Abducens nerve palsy

Question 1

Definition

Answer 1

Lesions of the 6th cranial nerve, known as the abducens nerve

Question 2

Causes

Answer 2

Neoplasm (an abnormal mass of tissue that forms)

Trauma

Ischemic stroke affecting the brain stem (as pons is in the brain stem)

Metabolic disease like Wernicke disease

People with MS can have this

Aneurysm

Carcinomatous meningitis

Inflammatory lesions like lupus

Infection like TB or Lyme disease

Question 3

Epidemiology

Answer 3

most commonly affected ocular motor nerve in adults

2nd most common in children

Question 4

Clinical presentation

Answer 4

Often present with binocular horizontal diplopia (double vision when looking at objects side by side)

Deficit in eye abduction (weakness of lateral rectus muscle) (medial gaze)

Some pt’s may present with constant head-turning movement to maintain binocular fusion and to lessen the degree of diplopia

May also have:
– vision loss
– headache
– vomiting
– hearing loss
– papilledema (as the abducens nerve enters the subarachnoid space)