Korean J Ophthalmol.  2005 Dec;19(4):305-306. 10.3341/kjo.2005.19.4.305.

Normal Abduction in a Patient with Duplicated Abducens Nerve

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea. hjm@snu.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
To our knowledge, there has been no report of ophthalmologic findings related with a duplicated abducens nerve in the ophthalmic literature. This study reports such findings. METHODS: An ophthalmologic examination was performed in one patient with a duplicated abducens nerve, revealed with thin-sectioned magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) across the brainstem level. RESULTS: The MRI disclosed a duplicated left abducens nerve. The patient was orthotropic in five cardinal positions, and her ductions and versions were full. CONCLUSIONS: One patient with a duplicated abducens nerve showed orthotropia and normal ocular movement.

Keyword

Duplicated abducens nerve; Magnetic resonance imaging; Ocular movement

MeSH Terms

Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Humans
Female
Eye Movements/*physiology
Adult
Abducens Nerve Diseases/congenital/diagnosis
Abducens Nerve/*abnormalities

Figure

  • Fig. 1 (A) Ocular versions demonstrating normal eye movement in both eyes. (B-E) Four 0.7-mm-thick slice images obtained with a T2-weighted 3D fast field echo MRI sequence show a single right abducens nerve (arrows), and a duplicated left abducens nerve (double arrows) emerging from the pontomedullary junction and coursing in a superior oblique direction toward the clivus. Before entering the clivus, the left nerves appear to be fused.


Reference

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