Rare neurovascular conflict between oculomotor nerve and posterior communicating artery

We present the case of a 75-year-old man who presented for a 20-year history of transient vertical diplopia. The radiological exams demonstrated the presence of a neurovascular conflict between the right oculomotor nerve and a fetal-type posterior communicating artery. This fetal posterior communicating artery had an aberrant downward course that compressed the third cranial nerve. Few cases of neurovascular conflict interesting the third cranial nerve were described in the literature whom the responsible artery was generally the superior cerebellar artery. No case of oculomotor nerve compression by the posterior communicating artery was published. Authors have reviewed the literature and discuss the embryology of the posterior communicating artery, pathophysiology, radiological findings, and therapeutic possibility.
Source: Neuroradiology - Category: Radiology Source Type: research