[Two cases of total ophthalmoplegia after section of the vidian nerve (author's transl)]

The authors report two cases of complete ophthalmoplegia occurring during surgical section of the homolateral vidian nerve for chronic nasal obstruction due in one case to hypertrophic rhinitis and in the other to nasal polyposis. In both cases, whilst there was more or less complete regression of the oculomotor paralyses, unilateral amaurosis persisted as a permanent sequela. This paper is published with the aim of drawing attention to the possibility of complications which are out of proportion with the initial symptomatic discomfort and which may occur whatever the surgical approach used since one of the operations was performed via a pure endonasal approach whilst the other was transmaxillary. In both cases there was no damage to the orbit during surgery and the most likely pathogenesis would appear to be a reflex aciton.