Foix Syndrome

Foix Syndrome (Cavernous Sinus Syndrome; Hypophyseal-Sphenoidal Syndrome; Cavernous Sinus Neuralgia Syndrome; Godtfredsen Syndrome; Cavernous Sinus-Nasopharyngeal Tumor Syndrome; Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis)

General: Causes include tumor of lateral sinus wall or sphenoid bone, intracranial aneurysm, cavernous and lateral sinus thrombosis, or lesions; multiple myeloma; may result from infarctions or cancer or be idiopathic.

Ocular: Proptosis; severe ocular and periorbital pain; lid edema; paresis or paralysis of cranial nerves III, IV,V, and VI ; corneal anesthesia; optic atrophy.

Clinical: Postauricular edema; trigeminal neuralgia; deviation of the tongue toward paralyzed side; patients usually have prominent manifestations of sepsis and paranasal sinus; local skin infections are the most common cause.

Foix C. Syndrome de la Paroi Externe du Sinus Caverneux. Rev Neurol 1922; 37/38:827.

Fraunfelder FT, Roy FH. Current Ocular Therapy. 5th ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 2000.

Newman NJ. Third-, fourth, and sixth-nerve lesions and the cavernous sinus. In: Albert DM, Jakobiec FA, eds. Principles and Practice of Ophthalmology, vol. IV. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 1994:2444.

Rucker CW. The causes of paralysis of the third, fourth and sixth cranial nerves. Am J Ophthalmol 1966; 61:1293.

Tveteras K, et al. Septic cavernous and lateral sinus thrombosis. Modem diagnostic and therapeutic principles. J Laryngol Otol 1988; 102:877.