Saccadic ping pong gaze in coma
A Sieben1, L Crevits, P Santens
1Department of Neurology, Oto-Neuro-Ophthalmology Unit, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. annesieben@yahoo.com
The Neurologist
|May 15, 2007
Abstract:
In this report, we describe the peculiar eye movements of a young man who became comatose after a head injury. The eyes moved rhythmically from one side to another, without pausing in the lateral positions. This phenomenon has been described as "ping pong gaze" (PPG), referring to short-cycling periodic alternating gaze with smooth eye deviations. In the present patient, however, a saccadic type of PPG could be confirmed by oculography. Possible clinical and pathophysiological implications are discussed.
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