Tolosa-hunt syndrome : a case report and literature review

Abstract EN

Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (THS) has been described as a painful, unilateral, partial or total ophthalmoplegia caused by a nonspecific granulomatous process in the cavernous sinus, the superior orbital fissure, or the orbital apex.

This syndrome should be differentiated from other lesions involving the cavernous sinus region, such as meningiomas lymphomas, posterior communicating artery aneurysms, intracavernous carotid aneurysms, both sellar and parasellar tumors and carotid cavernous fistulae.

We report a case of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome in a 39 years old patient who presented with cranial nerve palsies. In conclusion, this syndrome should be differentiated from other lesions involving the cavernous sinus region, such as meningiomas or lymphomas.

It should also be distinguished from ophthalmoplegic migraine and giant cell arteritis.