No shinkei geka. Neurological surgery
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Three cases of bilateral traumatic abducens nerve palsy were presented and the mechanism of damage to the abducens nerve was discussed in relation to the analysis of traumatic force at the time of impact and topographical anatomy of the abducens nerve in detail. Case 1. A 70 year old man sustained a traffic accident with one hour loss of consciousness. ⋯ It is greatly speculated that both abducens nerves are streched by the lineal accerelated force on mid sagittal plane at the time of impact, then the apex of petrous pyramid acts as the fulculum, so that the abducens nerves are compressed, contused and streched at this point (Fig. 5-a). The authors pointed out that the abducens nerve are impossible to be damaged at the petroclinoid ligament (Grüber's lig.) by the upward movement of the brainstem, because the abducens nerve is fixed downward below this ligament by the dura and apex of the petrous pyramid (Fig. 4-b, c). One case showed bilateral acquired retraction syndrome with slight increase in size of the pupil on each side of lateral gaze, the fact greatly suggesting that the sympathetic nerve have intimate relationship to the miss direction during the recovery stage of abducens nerve palsy.