Schwannoma-associated third nerve palsy: A pediatric case report

Abstract

Acquired third nerve palsies are infrequently seen in children, but are often associated with serious pathologies. This article presents a pediatric case of tumor-associated, isolated third nerve palsy, which took two years to diagnose. The patient initially presented with an isolated, dilated pupil and progressed over several months to a complete third nerve palsy. In this case, high-resolution neuroimaging eventually led to the diagnosis of a presumed schwannoma as the cause of her third nerve palsy. We review her case, the importance of high-resolution imaging, and management options.

Keywords

• Third nerve palsy
• Oculomotor nerve palsy
• Cranial nerve tumor
• Schwannoma
• Pediatric