Jugular foramen syndrome
Vernet's syndrome is characterized by the paresis of 9th–11th (with or without 12th) cranial nerves together.
Symptoms
Symptoms of this syndrome are consequences of this paresis. As such, in an affected patient, you may find:
- dysphonia/hoarseness
- soft palate dropping
- deviation of the uvula towards the normal side
- dysphagia
- loss of sensory function from the posterior 1/3 of the tongue
- decrease in the parotid gland secretion
- loss of gag reflex
- sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles paresis
Causes
- Glomus tumors (most frequently)
- Meningiomas
- Schwannomas (Acoustic neuroma)
- Metastatic tumors located at the cerebellopontine angle
- Trauma
- Infections
- Cholesteatoma (very rare)
- Obstruction of the jugular foramen due to bone diseases