Horner syndrome after thyroid-related surgery: a review.

BACKGROUND: Horner syndrome (HS) is caused by damage to the cervical sympathetic nerve. HS is a rare complication after thyroidectomy. The main manifestations of HS include miosis and ptosis of the eyelids, which seriously affect esthetics and quality of life. At present, there is a lack of research on HS after thyroidectomy, and its etiology is not completely clear. This review aimed to evaluate how to reduce the incidence of HS and promote the recovery from HS as well as to provide a reference for the protection of cervical sympathetic nerves during surgery. RESULTS: HS caused by thyroid surgery is not particularly common, but it is still worthy of our attention. After searching with "Horner Syndrome," "Thyroid" as keywords, a total of 22 related cases were screened in PubMed. The results showed that open surgery, endoscopy, microwave ablation, and other surgical methods may have HS after operation. In addition, the statistics of 1213 thyroid surgeries in our hospital showed that the incidence of HS after endoscopic surgery (0.39%) was slightly higher than that after open surgery (0.29%). Further, this review analyzed potential causes of HS after thyroidectomy, so as to provide a theoretical basis for reducing its incidence. CONCLUSION: Preventing HS during thyroidectomy is a difficult problem. The close and highly variable anatomical relationship between the thyroid and cervical sympathetic nerves increases the risk of sympathetic nerve damage during thyroidectomy. Surgery and the use of energy equipment are also closely related to the occurrence of HS.

Transposition of anomalous left vertebral to carotid artery during the management of thoracic aortic dissections and aneurysms.

OBJECTIVES: Preservation of antegrade flow to the left vertebral artery (LVA) is often achieved by transposition or bypass to the left subclavian artery during zone 2 thoracic endovascular aortic repair. An anomalous LVA (aLVA) originating directly from the aortic arch is a common arch variant with a reported incidence of 4% to 6%. In addition, 6% to 10% of vertebral arteries terminate in a posterior inferior cerebellar artery, increasing the risk of stroke if not revascularized. Few series of aLVA to carotid transposition have been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of patients who underwent aLVA to carotid transposition for the management of aortic disease. METHODS: A retrospective review of all aLVA-carotid transpositions performed for the management of thoracic aortic dissection or aneurysm at a single center from 2018 to 2021 was performed. The primary outcomes were postoperative stroke and patency of the transposed aLVA. Secondary outcomes were spinal cord ischemia, postoperative cranial nerve injury, and Horner's syndrome. RESULTS: Seventeen patients underwent aLVA to carotid transposition as an adjunct to management of aortic disease during the study period. Most were men (n = 14) and the mean age was 54 ± 16 years. The primary indication for aortic repair was dissection in 10, aneurysm in 6, and Kommerell diverticulum in 1. Nine patients underwent zone 2 thoracic endovascular aortic repair, seven received open total arch repair, and there was one attempted total endovascular arch repair that was aborted owing to unfavorable anatomy. Twelve transpositions were performed before or concomitant with planned aortic repair owing to high-risk cerebrovascular anatomy (three posterior inferior cerebellar artery termination, six dominant aLVA, four intracranial LVA stenosis), and two were performed postoperatively for treatment of type II endoleak. LVA diameter ranged from 2 to 6 mm (mean, 3.3 mm). The mean operative time for transposition was 178 ± 38 minutes, inclusive of left subclavian artery revascularization, and the mean estimated blood loss was 169 ± 188 mL. No patients experienced 30-day postoperative spinal cord ischemia, stroke, or mortality. There were two cases of postoperative hoarseness, presumably owing to recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, both of which resolved within 4 months. There were no cases of Horner's syndrome. At follow-up (mean, 306 days; range, 6-714 days), all transpositions were patent. CONCLUSIONS: Vertebral-carotid transposition is a safe and effective adjunct in the management of aortic disease with anomalous origin of the LVA.

Redo surgery for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome is useful.

OBJECTIVES: Surgery for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS) has shown good outcome in numerous case series. However, 5% to 30% of patients will have persistent or recurrent symptoms, caused by incomplete first rib resection, reattachment of residual scalene muscle, fibrous scarring around the brachial plexus, or a wrong NTOS diagnosis. In patients with a sound diagnosis of recurrent or persisting NTOS, not responding to conservative measures, a secondary procedure can be considered. We report the results of redo thoracic outlet decompression surgery through the supraclavicular approach (SC-REDO-TOD) for persistent or recurrent NTOS. METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospective database was performed. Every patient referred from September 2016 until January 2020 was eligible for inclusion. In an SC-REDO-TOD, we perform complete (cartilage-cartilage) resection of the first rib, any bony and fibrous anomalies, complete anterior and middle scalenectomy, and complete neurolysis of the brachial plexus (complete anatomical decompression of the brachial plexus). Clinical outcomes were assessed by questionnaires including the Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), Cervico-Brachial Symptoms Questionnaire (CBSQ), and TOS (thoracic outlet syndrome) Disability scale. RESULTS: In total, 45 patients had a SC-REDO-TOD. The median duration of hospital admission after SC-REDO-TOD was 1.41 days (interquartile range, 1.00 day). In total, 30 (66.66%) of 45 patients had recurrent NTOS, and 15 (33.33%) of 45 patients had persisting NTOS. Postoperative complications were seen in eight patients (18.18%). One patient had postoperative complications with permanent impairment (Horner syndrome). Seven patients had postoperative complications with full recovery (three patients had a chylous leakage that was treated with a median-chain triglycerides diet for 6 weeks, three patients had transient phrenic nerve palsy with full recovery <6 weeks, and one patient had a discrete Horner syndrome that resolved in 6 weeks). The median time of follow-up was 19.50 months (interquartile range, 14.00 months) and the response rate to the questionnaires was 91.11% at 6 months and 64.44% at 12 months. We found a positive and statistically significant difference for DASH score, CBSQ score, and TOS Disability Scale score comparing scores for all patients. (DASH score: P < .001; CBSQ score: P < .001; TOS Disability Scale: P < .001). Patients with first rib remnants showed a significant better response (lower DASH, CBSQ and TOS Disability Scale scores) compared with patients without first rib remnants (DASH score: P = .004; CBSQ score: P ≤ .014; TOS Disability Scale: P = .009). CONCLUSIONS: SC-REDO-TOD after a previous NTOS surgery shows good results with a low risk of permanent impairment. Patients with NTOS with first rib remnants after primary surgery seem to benefit the most from SC-REDO-TOD surgery.

Benign thyroid swelling presenting as Horner's syndrome.

Horner's syndrome is a rare neurological condition seen in association with the disruption in the sympathetic nerve supply. Thyroid swelling is a common condition but rarely causes cervical sympathetic chain compression. We describe a case of a 54-year-old man who presented with Horner's syndrome secondary to a benign thyroid nodule with pressure effect on the sympathetic chain. An association between thyroid pathologies and Horner's syndrome has been mentioned previously, however, to our knowledge, this is the first case of Horner's syndrome being the initial presentation for an underlying benign thyroid swelling.

Primary chondroma of posterior mediastinum with Horner's syndrome: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Chondroma is a slowly growing, benign cartilaginous tumor which predominantly occurs in long bones of the hands and feet. Primary mediastinal chondroma is rare, especially with Horner's syndrome. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported the case of a 31-year-old woman with a posterior mediastinum mass associated with Horner's syndrome. After complete dissection of the mass, a pathological diagnosis of the primary mediastinal chondroma was rendered. The patient has shown no local recurrence or distal disease in a 3.5-year follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: The preoperative diagnosis of chondroma should combine various examinations for comprehensive evaluation. Complete surgical resection should be the first choice of the treatment due to the risk of malignancy.

Transient Horner's syndrome after single shot paravertebral block / Síndrome de Horner transitória após bloqueio paravertebral em injeção única

Abstract Background Thoracic paravertebral block can provide analgesia for unilateral chest surgery and is associated with a low complication rate. Horner syndrome also referred to as oculosympathetic paresis, is a classic neurologic constellation of ipsilateral blepharoptosis, pupillary miosis, and facial anhidrosis resulting from disruption of the sympathetic pathway supplying the head, eye, and neck. Case report We present a patient with an ipsilateral transient Horner syndrome after ultrasound guided single shot of 15 mL 0.25% levobupivacaine for thoracic paravertebral block at T5-6 level. Conclusions It should be kept in mind that even a successful ultrasound guided single shot thoracic paravertebral block can be complicated with Horner syndrome due to unpredictable distribution of the local anesthetic.

Resumo Justificativa O bloqueio paravertebral torácico pode proporcionar analgesia para cirurgia torácica unilateral e está associado a um baixo índice de complicações. A síndrome de Horner (também denominada paralisia oculossimpática) é uma constelação neurológica clássica de blefaroptose ipsilateral, miose pupilar e anidrose facial devido a distúrbio da via simpática que fornece inervação para a cabeça, os olhos e o pescoço. Relato de caso Apresentamos o caso de um paciente com síndrome de Horner transitória ipsilateral após a administração de injeção única de 15 mL de levobupivacaína a 0,25% para bloqueio paravertebral torácico ao nível de T5-6 guiado por ultrassom. Conclusões Devemos considerar que mesmo um bloqueio paravertebral torácico bem-sucedido com a administração de injeção única e guiado por ultrassom pode ser complicado com a síndrome de Horner devido à distribuição imprevisível do anestésico local.

The prognostic value of concurrent Horner syndrome in surgical decision making at 3 months in total-type neonatal brachial plexus palsy.

We investigated the prognostic value of concurrent Horner syndrome for predicting spontaneous motor recovery in surgical decision making at 3 months with neonatal brachial plexus palsy. Medical records of 129 neonates with total-type brachial plexus palsy were reviewed, and clinical and follow-up data of patients with or without Horner syndrome were compared. Twenty-seven of 129 newborn babies with total-type palsy (21%) had concurrent Horner syndrome. Poor spontaneous motor recovery was observed in 21 (78%) neonates with concurrent Horner syndrome and in 84 (82%) without concurrent Horner syndrome. Concurrent Horner syndrome in neonates with brachial plexus palsy has no prognostic value in predicting poor spontaneous motor recovery of the brachial plexus in patients with total-type palsy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Prediction Algorithm for Surgical Intervention in Neonatal Brachial Plexus Palsy.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal brachial plexus palsy (NBPP) results in reduced function of the affected arm with profound ramifications on quality of life. Advances in surgical technique have shown improvements in outcomes for appropriately selected patients. Patient selection, however, remains difficult. OBJECTIVE: To develop a decision algorithm that could be applied at the individual patient level, early in life, to reliably predict persistent NBPP that would benefit from surgery. METHODS: Retrospective review of NBPP patients was undertaken. Maternal and neonatal factors were entered into the C5.0 statistical package in R (The R Foundation). A 60/40 model was employed, whereby 60% of randomized data were used to train the decision tree, while the remaining 40% were used to test the decision tree. The outcome of interest for the decision tree was a severe lesion meeting requirements for surgical candidacy. RESULTS: A decision tree prediction algorithm was generated from the entered variables. Variables utilized in the final decision tree included presence of Horner's syndrome, presence of a pseudomeningocele, Narakas grade, clavicle fracture at birth, birth weight >9 lbs, and induction or augmentation of labor. Sensitivity of the decision tree was 0.71, specificity 0.96, positive predictive value 0.94, negative predictive value 0.79, and F1 score 0.81. CONCLUSION: We developed a decision tree prediction algorithm that can be applied shortly after birth to determine surgical candidacy of patients with NBPP, the first of its kind utilizing only maternal and neonatal factors. This conservative decision tree can be used to offer early surgical intervention for appropriate candidates.

Inferior tarsal muscle-conjunctivectomy for reverse ptosis repair: A novel technique.

We describe a new technique for treatment of reverse ptosis in a patient with Horner Syndrome by means of excision of conjunctiva and inferior tarsal muscle. Surgery with eversion of inferior ptotic eyelid, placement of the Putterman ptosis clamp on the conjunctiva under inferior tarsus, suturing under incarcerated tissue and resection of 6mm of conjunctiva and inferior tarsal muscle was done under local anaesthesia in a short operating time with good cosmetic results without eyelid malposition or skin scar.

Horner syndrome in neurofibromatosis type 1.

The authors report a rare case of Horner syndrome in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1). A 31-year-old man visited the clinic with drooping left eyelid. The physical examination revealed ptosis of the left eyelid, miotic pupil, facial anhidrosis, and several skin masses on the chest. The radiological examination of the chest demonstrated a well-defined left posterior mediastinal mass close to the vertebral bodies of the upper thoracic spine at the level of T1-T5. The masses of mediastinum and skin were totally removed. They were diagnosed as neurofibromas. Neurofibromatosis type 1 was diagnosed. To the best of my knowledge, this is a rare case of a patient with NF-1 who presented with Horner syndrome. Clinicians should be vigilant on the possibility of Horner syndrome in patients with NF-1.

Ophthalmic complications of otitis media in children.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome of ophthalmic complications in children with otitis media. METHODS: The records of children with ophthalmic complications arising from otitis media who presented to the British Columbia Children's Hospital between August 2006 and March 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of 1,400 patients presenting to the emergency department for otitis media during the study period, 7 with ophthalmic complications were identified (age range, 1-11 years). All patients had abducens nerve palsy on presentation. Other notable ophthalmic complications included papilledema, Horner syndrome, and proptosis. Extracranial and intracranial complications included mastoiditis, petrositis, parapharyngeal abscess, hydrocephalus, epidural abscess, and cerebral venous thrombosis, including cavernous sinus thrombosis in 2. Of the 7 patients, 6 were treated with surgery, including myringotomy and tube placement (6 patients) and mastoidectomy (3 patients). All patients were initially anticoagulated and received intravenous antibiotics. Satisfactory final visual outcomes and stereopsis ranging from 40 to 100 seconds were achieved in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Ophthalmic complications of otitis media in children are likely to include abducens palsy. All patients in our series required anticoagulation and intravenous antibiotics. Most required otolaryngologic surgery, but none required strabismus surgery, and all patients had satisfactory visual and ocular motility outcomes.

A standardized surgical technique for rat superior cervical ganglionectomy.

Superior cervical ganglionectomy (SCGx) is a valuable microsurgical model to study the role of the sympathetic nervous system in a vast array of physiological and pathological processes, including homeostatic regulation, circadian biology and the dynamics of neuronal dysfunction and recovery after injury. Despite having several experimental applications in the rat, a thorough description of a standardized procedure has never been published. Here, we provide a brief review of the principal features and experimental uses of the SCGx, the surgical anatomy of the neck and sympathetic cervical chain, and a step-by-step description of how to consistently remove the superior cervical ganglia through the omohyoid muscle or the carotid triangle. Furthermore, we suggest procedures and precautions to be taken during and after surgery to optimize results and describe tools to validate surgical success. We expect that the following standardized and optimized protocol will allow researchers to organize knowledge into a cohesive framework in those areas where the SCGx is applied.

Ganglioneuroma of the neck.

Ganglioneuroma (GN) has a neuroectodermic origin and is localized along the sympathetic trunk. GN of the neck is a rare tumour and due to proximity to the thyroid gland, clinically and radiologically, these lesions can be mistaken as thyroid swellings. Definite diagnosis only can be suspected after surgical exploration and complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice, as it will ensure thorough sampling of the tumour and cure.

Sympathetic paraganglioma presenting with Horner's syndrome in a child.

Paragangliomas of the head and neck arise from collections of cells from the neural crest associated with cranial or sympathetic nerves. Such lesions are rare in children. The majority of paragangliomas in the paediatric age groups have been familial, occurring in association with an adrenal pheochromocytoma. Children typically present with a neck mass and systemic evidence of catecholamine hypersecretion. We present the case of a 12-year-old boy with a history of increasing headache, drowsiness and Horner's syndrome for 8 months. The patient underwent exploration of the neck mass under general anaesthesia. The lesion was found to be in continuity with the left sympathetic chain. It was highly vascular but was removed en mass and sent for histological analysis. The histology showed that the mass was a well-circumscribed encapsulated tumour and that complete excision was achieved. The post-operative period was uneventful and the patient recovered well after the operation. On review at 6 months following surgery, his scars were maturing satisfactorily but the Horner's syndrome was persistent. Sympathetic chain paragangliomas are very rare tumours in the head and neck but should be considered in the differential diagnosis when clinical and radiographic evidence suggest a paraganglioma. The presentation is typically of a slow-growing neck mass with the presence of an ipsilateral Horner's syndrome. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a sympathetic chain paraganglioma in a child.

Risk of persistent cranial nerve injury after carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECT: Cranial nerve injuries, particularly motor nerve injuries, following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) can be disabling and therefore patients should be given reliable information about the risks of sustaining such injuries. The reported frequency of cranial nerve injury in the published literature ranges from 3 to 23%, and there have been few series in which patients were routinely examined before and after surgery by a neurologist. METHODS: The authors investigated the risk of cranial nerve injuries in patients who underwent CEA in the European Carotid Surgery Trial (ECST), the largest series of patients undergoing CEA in which neurological assessment was performed before and after surgery. Cranial nerve injury was assessed and recorded in every patient and persisting deficits were identified on follow-up examination at 4 months and 1 year after randomization. Risk factors for cranial nerve injury were examined by performing univariate and multivariate analyses. There were 88 motor cranial nerve injuries among the 1739 patients undergoing CEA (5.1% of patients; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.1-6.2). In 23 patients, the deficit had resolved by hospital discharge, leaving 3.7% of patients (95% CI 2.9-4.7) with a residual cranial nerve injury: 27 hypoglossal, 17 marginal mandibular, 17 recurrent laryngeal, one accessory nerve, and three Homer syndrome. In only nine patients (0.5%; 95% CI 0.24-0.98) the deficit was still present at the 4-month follow-up examination; however, none of the persisting deficits resolved during the subsequent follow up. Only duration of operation longer than 2 hours was independently associated with an increased risk of cranial nerve injury (hazard ratio 1.56, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of motor cranial nerve injury persisting beyond hospital discharge after CEA is approximately 4%. The vast majority of neurological deficits resolve over the next few months, however, and permanent deficits are rare. Nevertheless, the risk of cranial nerve injury should be communicated to patients before they undergo surgery.

Restoration of involuntary tonic contraction of the levator muscle in patients with aponeurotic blepharoptosis or Horner syndrome by aponeurotic advancement using the orbital septum.

Müller's muscle can be thought of as a large serial type of muscle spindle of the levator muscle. Effective stretching of the mechanoreceptor in the proximal part of Müller's muscle by voluntary phasic contraction of the levator muscle for initial opening of the eye induces involuntary tonic contraction of the levator muscle as a stretch reflex via the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus, to maintain an adequate visual field. After disinsertion of the levator aponeurosis from the tarsus by habitual rubbing, elongation of Müller's muscle secondary to thinning (aponeurotic blepharoptosis) or paralysis (Horner syndrome) desensitises the mechanoreceptor of Müller's muscle, resulting in blepharoptosis. Shortening of the elongated and thinned Müller's muscle by instillation of phenylephrine, and surgical shortening, and fixation of the disinserted, elongated, and thinned aponeurosis using the orbital septum, restored involuntary tonic contraction of the levator muscle in nearly all of 2000 patients with aponeurotic blepharoptosis and in 11 patients with Horner syndrome.

Horner's syndrome and thyroid neoplasms.

Although thyroid goiter is a common condition, it rarely results in Horner's syndrome. We report a case of a patient with an intrathoracic multinodular goiter complicated by Horner's syndrome. Benign thyroid disease was confirmed pathologically, and the patient's symptoms improved after surgery. In the literature, the major cause of Horner's syndrome is neoplasia, with malignant lesions being twice as frequent as benign tumors. An extensive review of the literature demonstrates a different repartition for thyroid neoplasia: including our case, 38 cases of Horner's syndrome secondary to a benign thyroid tumor are described, against only 8 cases caused by a thyroid carcinoma. We conclude that contrary to the commonly held opinion, Horner's syndrome is more often due to benign thyroid diseases than to thyroid malignancies.