Cor Vasa 2014, 56(5):e445-e447 | DOI: 10.1016/j.crvasa.2013.07.009

Seeing double: Transient third nerve palsy after cardiac catheterization

Saroj Neupane^a,*, Kathleen Dass^a, Sri Lakshmi S. Kollepara^b

^a William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, USA

^b DMC-Sinai Grace Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA

A wide variety of neurologic complications have been described after cardiac catheterization, with cerebrovascular accidents and neuro-ophthalmologic manifestations being the most common. Here we report a case of transient third nerve palsy following diagnostic cardiac catheterization. A 59-year-old male presented to the hospital with complaints of diplopia at all gazes after a diagnostic left heart catheterization. Physical examination revealed limitation on adduction, supra- and infraduction in the right eye, and right hypertropia on all gazes suggestive of third nerve palsy. He had normal visual acuity with correction, a normal retinal exam, and an otherwise benign neurologic exam.
Neuroimaging was negative. After the patient's symptoms improved, he was discharged home with risk factor modification strategy including anti-platelet therapy, statin and beta-blocker.

Keywords: Cardiac catheterization; Neurologic complications; Third nerve palsy

Received: June 30, 2013; Accepted: July 23, 2013; Published: October 1, 2014  Show citation