J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2006 Nov;47(11):1776-1780.

Causes and Natural Course of the Sixth Cranial Nerve Palsy

• Jeon C
• Sa HS
• Oh SY

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the causes and natural course of sixth nerve palsy.
METHODS
The records of 37 patients with the sixth nerve palsy were reviewed to analyze the age of onset, etiology, angle of deviation, natural course of the palsy, and percentage of intervention.
RESULTS
The mean age of onset was 38.3 (3~77) years old. Causes and associations were: head trauma (n=11, 30%), idiopathic cause (n=9, 24%), neoplasm (n=7, 19%), aneurysm (n=2, 5%), and others (n=8, 22%). Complete recovery was observed in 80% of patients with nonhemorrhagic trauma and 33.3% with hemorrhagic trauma; 78% of patients with idiopathic cause; and 42.9% of patients with neoplasm.
CONCLUSIONS
Head trauma was the most common cause of the sixth nerve palsy. Spontaneous complete recovery was observed in 80% of nonhemorrhagic trauma and 78% of idiopathic cases.

Keyword

Head trauma; Sixth nerve palsy; Spontaneous recovery

MeSH Terms

Abducens Nerve Diseases*
Abducens Nerve*
Age of Onset
Aneurysm
Craniocerebral Trauma
Humans
Paralysis