Etiology, localization of the lesion, and prognosis for patients firstly diagnosed in ophthalmology department with oculomotor nerve palsy.

OBJECTIVES

Oculomotor nerve palsy is a kind of disease with many causes, showing eye movement disorders, abnormal eyelid position, and/or damage of the pupil. The etiology of oculomotor nerve palsy in different departments is different. The study discussed the etiology, localization of the lesion, and prognosis for oculomotor nerve palsy firstly diagnosed in department of ophthalmology.

METHODS

Clinical data of 137 hospitalized patients with oculomotor nerve palsy at the Department of Ophthalmology, the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from 2009 to 2018 were retrospectively collected. The etiology and its distribution characteristics in different age groups, the location of the lesion, and the prognosis of patients were analyzed.

RESULTS

In 137 patients, the top 3 causes for oculomotor nerve palsy were head trauma (38.69%), cavernous sinus lesions (12.40%), and orbital inflammation (9.49%). Other causes included intracranial aneurysm, the intracranial space-occupying lesion, cerebral vessel diseases, infection, orbital tumors, diabetes, the operation of nasal cavity. Traumatic oculomotor nerve palsy was more common in young adults aged 20-49 years and in the patients with cerebral vascular disease in elderly people aged 60-69 years, while diabetic oculomotor nerve palsy is common in middle-aged and elderly people aged 50-69 years. The age distribution of other etiological types was relatively balanced. Seventy-five cases of orbital apex lesions were due to trauma, inflammation, infection, and tumor; 40 cases of cavernous sinus lesions were due to inflammation, tumor, and thrombosis; 6 cases of subarachnoid lesions were due to aneurysms, tumors, and trauma; 5 cases were oculomotor nucleus lesions were due to infarction; 11 cases could not be allocated because of unknown etiology. After treatment, the corrected visual acuity of oculomotor nerve palsy side was not significantly improved. The patients with oculomotor nerve palsy caused by intracranial aneurysm, cerebrovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus had the highest proportion of partial or complete recovery from ptosis and ocular dyskinesia.

CONCLUSIONS

Oculomotor nerve palsy is a common cause of ophthalmoplegia and diplopia. Head trauma, cavernous sinus lesions, and orbital inflammation are the most common causes for oculomotor nerve palsy first diagnosed in ophthalmology department. Traumatic oculomotor nerve palsy is common in adolescents. Oculomotor nerve palsy caused by diabetes and cerebrovascular disease are common in the middle-aged and elderly people. Most of the lesions locate in the orbital apex and cavernous sinus. The prognosis of corrected visual acuity is poor. The prognosis of ptosis and ocular dyskinesia caused by intracranial aneurysm, cerebrovascular disease, and diabetes is good. Figuring out the cause timely and accurately is the basis and key to treat oculomotor nerve palsy.