Abducens Cranial Nerve VI Palsy

Exam Cram

• Abducens nerve innerves the lateral rectus, which ABDucts the eye

• Presentation: diploplia in horizontal plane, affected eye: unable to abduct, sits medially at rest, raised ICP signs (falsely localising 

• Aetiology (isolated): congenital; microvascular- hypertension, diabetes; trauma; causes of raised ICP (malignancy, IIH, vasculitis, Lyme disease, meningitis, sarcoidosis)

• Plan: MRI head- rule out space occupying lesion; hba1c, bp, esr/crp; eye patch, prism glasses, not driving