[Collet-Sicard syndrome disclosing periarteritis nodosa]

An 82-year-old woman developed acute onset isolated paralysis of the right ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth cranial nerves (Collet-Sicard syndrome). The polynevritis was associated with major weight loss, increased blood pressure, nephropathy, distal arteriopathy and an inflammatory syndrome, suggesting panarteritis nodosa. Neuromuscular biopsy results confirmed the diagnosis. Collet-Sicard syndrome resulted from ischemia in the territory of the ascending pharyngeal artery.