Purpose
To describe a newly recognized clinical syndrome consisting of ptosis, diplopia, vertical gaze limitation, and abduction weakness that can occur following orbital roof removal during orbito-zygomatic-pterional craniotomy.
Design
Case series.
Participants
Eight study patients, ages 44 – 80 years, 7 female, with neuro-ophthalmic symptoms after pterional craniotomy.
Methods
Case description of eight study patients.
Main Outcome Measures
Presence of ptosis, diplopia, and gaze limitation.
Results
Eight patients had neuro-ophthalmic findings after pterional craniotomy for meningioma removal or aneurysm clipping. The cardinal features were ptosis, limited elevation and hypotropia. Three patients also had limitation of downgaze and two had limitation of abduction. Imaging showed loss of the fat layers which normally envelop the superior rectus/levator palpebrae superioris. The muscles appeared attached to the defect in the orbital roof. Ptosis and diplopia developed in two patients despite Medpor titanium mesh implants. Deficits in all patients showed spontaneous improvement. In two patients a levator advancement was required to repair ptosis. In three patients an inferior rectus recession using an adjustable suture was performed to treat vertical diplopia. Follow-up a mean of 6.5 years later revealed that all patients had a slight residual upgaze deficit, but alignment was orthotropic in primary gaze.
Conclusions
After pterional craniotomy, ptosis, diplopia and vertical gaze limitation can result from tethering of the superior rectus/levator palpebrae superioris complex to the surgical defect in the orbital roof. Lateral rectus function is sometimes compromised by muscle attachment to the lateral orbital osteotomy. This syndrome occurs in about 1% of patients after removal of the orbital roof and can be treated, if necessary, by prism glasses or surgery.