Collet-Sicard syndrome: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Otolaryngology
• Head and Neck Surgery

Background:

• Collet-Sicard syndrome (CSS) is characterized by unilateral palsy of cranial nerves IX, X, XI, and XII.
• No comprehensive review has previously detailed the characteristics of patients diagnosed with CSS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review to collect and describe all reported cases of Collet-Sicard syndrome in the literature.
• To analyze patient characteristics, etiologies, clinical manifestations, and outcomes associated with CSS.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review of the literature was performed using Embase and PubMed databases.
• Articles and abstracts reporting case reports or case series of patients diagnosed with CSS were included.
• Cases were classified into "CSS" (exclusive IX-XII nerve involvement) and "CSS-plus" (CSS with other neurological impairments).

Main Results:

• 135 patients from 126 articles were included; 67.7% were male.
• The most frequent manifestations were dysphagia and dysphonia.
• Tumoral (39.6%) and vascular (27.6%) etiologies were most common. Improvement was observed in the majority of patients.
• The jugular foramen (44.4%) and parapharyngeal retrostyloid space (28.9%) were the most affected anatomic areas.
• 21% of patients had additional cranial nerve impairments, predominantly CN VII and VIII.

Conclusions:

• Collet-Sicard syndrome is associated with specific clinical features and etiologies, primarily tumoral and vascular.
• The syndrome is a useful indicator for localizing pathology within the jugular foramen and parapharyngeal retrostyloid space.
• Greater rigor in reporting CSS cases is needed for enhanced understanding and clinical utility.