ARTERIOVENOUS MALFORMATION OF THE TROCHLEAR NERVE - A RARE CAUSE OF ACQUIRED ISOLATED 4TH NERVE PALSY

Trauma, ischemic neuropathy and tumor are the most common causes of acquired fourth nerve palsy, the origin of which however remains obscure in up to one third of patients. The authors present a patient with isolated trochlear nerve palsy due to an arteriovenous malformation of the nerve, which could be successfully resected. This observation draws the attention to a previously unreported, potentially harmful cause of isolated, acquired trochlear nerve palsy.