[Acute bilateral ophthalmoplegia and nasopharyngeal neoplasms]

The cranial nerves, due to its location, are not infrequently involved in the nasopharyngeal neoplasm evolutionary course. In this paper we describe two cases in which the neoplastic infiltration in both cavernous sinuses brought the appearance of an acute bilateral ophthalmolegia on. This symptomatology meant, in the first case, the onset of disease. In the second one, it was the reason of consultation. Later we discuss the topographic location of the damages in both cavernous sinuses considering the observed neurological shortcomings. Finally we approach a short revision of the causes of bilateral ophthalmoplegia found in literature, as well as an evaluation of different radiological diagnosis methods for this kind of damages.