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Recurrent painful ophthalmoplegic neuropathy
  1. Cleo Huang,
  2. Maria Amasanti,
  3. Ben Lovell,
  4. Tim Young
  1. Acute Medicine Unit, Whittington Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Ben Lovell, Acute Medicine Unit, Whittington Hospital NHS Trust, London N19 5GF, UK; benlovell{at}doctors.org.uk

Abstract

Recurrent painful ophthalmologic neuropathy (RPON), previously termed ophthalmoplegic migraine, is characterised by repeated attacks of one or more ocular cranial nerve palsies with ipsilateral headache. Its cause remains unclear; it is currently thought to be neuropathic in origin, but there is debate in the literature. In documented cases, a third cranial nerve palsy is by far the most common. Here we present a case of RPON involving the fourth and sixth cranial nerves only. Thorough investigation, including MR scan of brain and lumbar puncture, found no alternative explanation. This case adds to the debate over whether the cause of RPON is truly neuropathic or migrainous.

  • HEADACHE
  • OPHTHALMOLOGY
  • NEUROPATHY
  • MIGRAINE

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Footnotes

  • Contributors CH and MA wrote the initial manuscript, which was edited by BL. TY extensively edited the manuscript following the peer review.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed. This paper was reviewed by Neil Anderson, Auckland, New Zealand.