Bilateral abducens nerve palsy after closed head trauma without acute intracranial pathology

Abstract

Bilateral abducens nerve palsy due to closed head trauma is exceedingly rare. We present the case of a 51-year-old woman with posttraumatic bilateral abducens nerve palsy and persistent deficits at 1-year follow-up. This case demonstrates a rare example of cranial nerve palsy in the setting of a closed head injury without intracranial pathology.

Keywords

• Bilateral lateral gaze palsy
• traumatic abducens nerve palsy
• traumatic cranial nerve VI palsy