Related articles: Horner's syndrome
Definition
Horner's syndrome is a neuro-ophthalmological condition that develops after an interruption of sympathetic nerve fibers ranging from the hypothalamus to the eye. Possible central damage causing this syndrome is brain injury, compression or ischemia.
Other conditions that determine Horner's syndrome are syringomyelia and some medullary or brain tumors (eg neuroblastoma). Peripheral interruptions, on the other hand, may result from cranial and neck trauma, cervical adenopathy, Pancoast lung tumors, aortic or carotid dissection and thoracic aortic aneurysm. Horner's syndrome may also be congenital or due to surgical trauma.
Most common symptoms and signs *
- anisocoria
- blepharoptosis
- enophthalmos
- hypohidrosis
- Miosi
Further indications
Horner's syndrome is characterized by ptosis (narrowing of the palpebral rim), miosis (narrowing of the pupil) and anhydrosis of the head and neck (absence of sweating). These events are always one-sided. Other possible symptoms are enophthalmos (return of the eyeball in the orbit), delayed pupillary dilation following constriction (anisocoria) and hyperaemia on the side where the nervous system has been damaged. Furthermore, in the congenital form, the ipsilateral iris does not pigment and remains lighter, of a blue-gray color. These manifestations are associated with signs and symptoms characteristic of causal conditions.
To diagnose the underlying disorder and establish the most appropriate treatment, patients with Horner syndrome must undergo MR imaging or CT scan of the brain, marrow, chest or neck.
