Delayed Onset Abducens Nerve Palsy following Uncomplicated Large Cystic Vestibular Schwannoma Resection: Case Report

Although delayed facial palsy after vestibular schwannoma (VS) surgery is a poorly understood but a well-known phenomenon, other delayed cranial nerve palsies in the cerebellopontine angle have not been reported after VS surgery. In this report, we describe a 54-year-old woman with a large cystic VS who experienced double vision and a new delayed onset right abducens nerve (AbN) palsy, 3 weeks after gross total resection of VS via a translabyrinthine approach. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing delayed isolated AbN palsy after uncomplicated VS surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging findings and the management of this complication following VS surgery are discussed in this case report.