Vagoglossopharyngeal Neuralgia Occurred Concomitantly with Ipsilateral Hemifacial Spasm and Versive Seizure-Like Movement: A First Case Report
Peeraphong Thiarawat MD*, Apirath Wangtheraprasert MD**, Jiraporn Jitprapaikulsan MD***
Affiliation : * Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand ** Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand *** Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Vagoglossopharyngeal neuralgia (VGPN) is a very rare condition. VGPN with convulsive like attack is even rarer. All of the cases had their head turned to the opposite side of facial pain. Hemifacial spasm occurring concurrently with VGPN has never been reported. Herein, we present the first case of VGPN that had ipsilateral hemifacial spasm and versive seizure-like movement to the same side of facial pain. We reported a 71-year-old man presenting with multiple episodes of intermittent sharp shooting pain arising on the right middle neck, followed by hemifacial spasm on right face. Then the patient became syncope while his head and gaze turned to the same side of the painful neck. Electrocardiography showed sinus arrest. Interictal Electroencephalography was normal. This patient initially responded to pregabalin for two weeks, then the symptoms became worse. Microvascular decompression and carbamazepine resulted in the complete remission of all symptoms after six months of follow-up. We could not explain the pathophysiology of unilateral versive seizure like movement.
Keywords : Vagoglossopharyngeal neuralgia, Cardiac syncope, Versive seizure-like movement, Microvascular decompression
