RESIDENT &FELLOW SECTION Pearls and Oy-sters: Section Editor Central fourth nerve palsies Mitchell S.V. Elkind, MD, MS Daniel R. Gold, DO CLINICAL PEARLS Lesions of the fourth (trochlear) Clinical features suggestive of bilateral fourth nerve Robert K. Shin, MD cranial nerve cause vertical or oblique diplopia by impair- palsies include right hypertropia in left gaze, left hyper- Steven Galetta, MD ing the ability of the superior oblique muscle to intort tropia in right gaze, and alternating hypertropia with and depress the eye. This binocular diplopia worsens in head tilt to either side (i.e., right hypertropia with right downgaze and lateral gaze away from the affected eye. tilt and left hypertropia with left head tilt).8 Correspondence & reprint Because intorsion is necessary to maintain fusion in ocu- requests to Dr. Gold:
[email protected] lar counter-roll, this diplopia also worsens with head tilt CASE REPORTS Case 1. A20-year-oldmanpresented 1,2 toward the affected eye. to the emergency department complaining of 6 days of Diagnosis of a superior oblique palsy can be made binocular vertical diplopia and a left eyelid droop. He using the Parks-Bielschowsky 3-step test: 1) determine had noted fatigue, bilateral eye pain, and flu-like symp- which eye is hypertropic, 2) determine if the hypertro- toms 2 to 4 weeks prior to presentation. pia worsens in left or right gaze, and 3) determine if the Left-sided ptosis and miosis were present on exam- hypertropia worsens in right or left head tilt. In a supe- ination, along with a left adduction deficit.