Raeder's Paratrigeminal Syndrome: A Case Report

Raeder's paratrigeminal syndrome is an uncommon neurologic disorder characterized by oculosympathetic paralysis, including ptosis and miosis. In the ED, this syndrome can be easily confused with Horner's syndrome, although with Raeder's syndrome trigeminal nerve irritation and preservation of facial sweating are noted. This report reviews a case of a 62-year-old man who presented to the ED with signs and symptoms consistent with Raeder's syndrome. MRI with angiography revealed a carotid artery dissection, and the patient was admitted and anticoagulated. The syndrome has been associated with head trauma, hypertension, vasculitis, migraine headaches, parasellar mass lesions, and internal carotid artery dissections. Hence, treatment of the patient who has Raeder's syndrome is dependent on the specific underlying lesion.