Bilateral sixth-nerve palsy. A rare complication of water-soluble contrast myelography

The appearance of bilateral sixth-nerve palsy is usually a harbinger of serious intracranial disease or a nonspecific sign of increased intracranial pressure from any cause. Although unilateral sixth-nerve palsy is a well-recognized complication of lumbar puncture, the appearance of bilateral sixth-nerve palsy following water-soluble myelography is not generally recognized. We describe our experience with three patients and emphasize the benign and self-limiting character of these bilateral sixth-nerve palsies.