Pourfour du Petit syndrome caused by traumatic pseudo-aneurysm of the internal carotid artery

Article type: Research Article

Authors: de Souza, Rodrigo Becco | de Aguiar, Guilherme Brasileiro | Daniel, Jefferson Walter | Conti, Mário Luiz Marques | Veiga, José Carlos Esteves

Affiliations: Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, Santa Casa Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil | Department of Neurosurgery, Santa Casa Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil

Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. Rodrigo Becco de Souza, Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, Santa Casa Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil. Rua Cesário Motta Jr., 112, Vila Buarque, S?o Paulo, SP, Brazil. Tel.: +55 11 21767000; Fax: +55 01221 900; E-mail: rodrigobecco@yahoo.com.br

Abstract: Pourfour du Petit syndrome, or reverse Horner syndrome, is described as an overactive sympathetic nervous system, being characterized by mydriasis, eyelid retraction, and hyperhidrosis. We described a case of Pourfour du Petit syndrome after cervical injury by gunshot, with a little review about this rare syndrome. Angiography revealed dissection and formation of pseudo aneurysm of the left carotid artery. We believe that this lesion caused hyper-stimulation of the left cervical sympathetic chain, resulting in reverse Horner syndrome or Pourfour du Petit syndrome. There was reversal of symptoms spontaneously after 3 wk.

Keywords: Horner syndrome, autonomic nervous system, Pourfour du Petit syndrome, carotid artery dissection

DOI: 10.3233/JPN-130615

Journal: Journal of Pediatric Neurology, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 189-191, 2013