[Presentation of a cavernous angioma with an oculomotor nuclear syndrome: a case report]

The nuclear syndrome of the oculomotor nerve, first described in 1981, is characterized by ipsilateral third nerve palsy and elevation paresis of the contralateral eye.

A 59-year-old man suddenly developed diplopia and headache. Neurological examination showed nuclear ophthalmoplegia of the left third nerve without any other neurological abnormality. MRI findings demonstrated a typical, popcorn-like, smoothly circumscribed left posterior lesion. Surgical resection was not performed because of the deep localization. Spontaneous bleeding developed.

This neuro-ophthalmological complication of a cavernous angioma, as seen in our patient, has rarely been described in the literature. The clinical presentation and anatomic elements of the nuclear oculomotor syndrome are discussed. This exceptional localization provides a useful illustration of anatomoclinical correlations.