Fourth Nerve Palsy

	Fourth Nerve Palsy Fourth cranial nerve palsy or trochlear nerve palsy, is a condition affecting cranial nerve 4 (IV), the trochlear nerve, which is one of the cranial nerves. It causes weakness or paralysis of the superior oblique muscle that it innervates. This condition often causes vertical or near vertical double vision as the weakened muscle prevents the eyes from moving in the same direction together. Because the trochlear nerve is the thinnest and has the longest intracranial course of the cranial nerves, it is particularly vulnerable to traumatic injury. To compensate for the double-vision resulting from the weakness of the superior oblique, patients characteristically tilt their head down and to the side opposite the affected muscle. When present at birth, it is known as congenital fourth nerve palsy. See also * Harada–Ito procedure The Harada–Ito procedure is an eye muscle operation designed to improve the excyclotorsion experienced by some patients with cranial nerve IV ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Trochlear Nerve The trochlear nerve (), ( lit. ''pulley-like'' nerve) also known as the fourth cranial nerve, cranial nerve IV, or CN IV, is a cranial nerve that innervates just one muscle: the superior oblique muscle of the eye, which operates through the pulley-like trochlea. CN IV is a motor nerve only (a somatic efferent nerve), unlike most other CNs. The trochlear nerve is unique among the cranial nerves in several respects: * It is the ''smallest'' nerve in terms of the number of axons it contains. * It has the greatest intracranial length. * It is the only cranial nerve that exits from the dorsal (rear) aspect of the brainstem. * It innervates a muscle, the superior oblique muscle, on the opposite side (contralateral) from its nucleus. The trochlear nerve decussates within the brainstem before emerging on the contralateral side of the brainstem (at the level of the inferior colliculus). An injury to the trochlear nucleus in the brainstem will result in an contralateral superior obliqu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
picture info	Cranial Nerves Cranial nerves are the nerves that emerge directly from the brain (including the brainstem), of which there are conventionally considered twelve pairs. Cranial nerves relay information between the brain and parts of the body, primarily to and from regions of the head and neck, including the special senses of vision, taste, smell, and hearing. The cranial nerves emerge from the central nervous system above the level of the first vertebra of the vertebral column. Each cranial nerve is paired and is present on both sides. There are conventionally twelve pairs of cranial nerves, which are described with Roman numerals I–XII. Some considered there to be thirteen pairs of cranial nerves, including cranial nerve zero. The numbering of the cranial nerves is based on the order in which they emerge from the brain and brainstem, from front to back. The terminal nerves (0), olfactory nerves (I) and optic nerves (II) emerge from the cerebrum, and the remaining ten pairs arise from the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
picture info	Superior Oblique Muscle The superior oblique muscle, or obliquus oculi superior, is a fusiform muscle originating in the upper, medial side of the orbit (i.e. from beside the nose) which abducts, depresses and internally rotates the eye. It is the only extraocular muscle innervated by the trochlear nerve (the fourth cranial nerve). Structure The superior oblique muscle loops through a pulley-like structure (the trochlea of superior oblique) and inserts into the sclera on the posterotemporal surface of the eyeball. It is the pulley system that gives superior oblique its actions, causing depression of the eyeball despite being inserted on the superior surface. The superior oblique arises immediately above the margin of the optic foramen, superior and medial to the origin of the superior rectus, and, passing forward, ends in a rounded tendon, which plays in a fibrocartilaginous ring or pulley attached to the trochlear fossa of the frontal bone. The contiguous surfaces of the tendon and ring are lined by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Congenital Fourth Nerve Palsy Congenital fourth nerve palsy is a condition present at birth characterized by a vertical misalignment of the eyes due to a weakness or paralysis of the superior oblique muscle. Other names for fourth nerve palsy include superior oblique palsy and trochlear nerve palsy. When looking to the right/left the nerve/muscle isn't strong enough or is too long and the eye drifts up. Signs and symptoms Though present from birth, symptoms of congenital fourth cranial nerve palsy may start as subtle and increase with age. Hence, diagnosis by a healthcare practitioner may not be made until later childhood or adulthood. Young children adopt a compensatory head position in order to compensate for the underacting superior oblique muscle, or have a tendency to close one eye whilst reading. The characteristic head tilt is usually away from the affected side to reduce eye strain and prevent double vision (diplopia). Old photographs may reveal the presence of a consistent head tilt (ocular torticol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]
	Harada–Ito Procedure The Harada–Ito procedure is an eye muscle operation designed to improve the excyclotorsion experienced by some patients with cranial nerve IV palsy. In this procedure, the superior oblique tendon is split, and the anterior fibers – the fibers most responsible for incyclotorsion – are moved anteriorly and laterally. This selectively stretches and tightens these fibers, enhancing the incyclotorsion power of the superior oblique. The most common indication for the Harada–Ito procedure is bilateral acquired cranial nerve IV palsy following closed head trauma (particularly automobile accidents). In this clinical situation the vertical imbalance is often less symptomatically bothersome to the patient than the induced excyclotorsion. Affected patients have a particularly annoying type of double vision (diplopia), wherein the images are twisted (excyclotorted). Patients with cranial nerve IV palsy whose complaints are not specifically limited to torsio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu]