Acquired Brown Syndrome in Head Trauma: Does Fixation of Associated Nasal and Frontal Bone Fractures Provide a Cure?

Abstract

A 43-year-old gentleman presented with vertical double vision following nasal and frontal bone fractures resulting from blunt trauma to the glabella. Orthoptic assessment revealed a diagnosis of traumatic Brown syndrome affecting the right eye. The fractures were fixed with open reduction internal fixation via a coronal flap nine days after the injury was sustained. Evidence of resolution of the syndrome became apparent clinically within 15 days following surgery, which was confirmed with a later orthoptic evaluation. This case demonstrates that prompt surgical intervention of fractures associated with traumatic Brown syndrome may lead to resolution without the need to resort to extraocular muscle surgery.

Keywords

• brown syndrome
• trauma
• maxillofacial
• surgery
• resolution