[2 cases simulating Tolosa-Hunt syndrome]

The Tolosa-Hunt syndrome is characterized by recurrent unilateral painful ophthalmoplegia which responds to systemic steroid therapy dramatically. The etiology appears to be a non-specific inflammation in the cavernous sinus and the superior orbital fissure. Two interesting cases similar to this syndrome are described. One is a 54-year-old man with moderate left exophthalmos who had no complaint of retro-orbital pain. CT scan demonstrated the left orbital tumor, and the orbital decompression surgery was performed. The white-yellowish tumor was found extending the orbit through the superior orbital fissure into the cavernous sinus. Histological examination revealed non-specific inflammatory granuloma. Despite the unusual clinical symptoms, the etiology of this case appeared to be identical with the Tolosa-Hunt syndrome. The other case is a 16-year-old girl who had a 2 years' history of recurrent left retro-orbital pain and the complete IIIrd nerve palsy. CT scan demonstrated a small enhancing lesion in the cavernous sinus. Corticosteroid treatment improved her IIIrd nerve palsy within 2 days, however the CT scan after the treatment revealed no change of the lesion size. Left frontotemporal craniotomy was performed and the whitish tumor in the cavernous sinus was partially removed. Histological examination revealed that the tumor was typical meningioma with whorl-formation. The anatomical structure of the cavernous sinus is so complicated that the diseases arising from this area show quite different appearances. For the differential diagnosis of these lesions, the carotid angiography and the cavernous sinus venography were said to be useful.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)