Horner's syndrome is a well-characterized complex of miosis, ptosis, and anhidrosis resulting from damage to the sympathetic innervation of the head and neck. Isolated Horner's syndrome is most commonly associated with neoplasms in adults and benign congenital defects in children. Its occurrence following nonpenetrating trauma is rare. We report an unusual presentation of isolated Horner's syndrome in an ambulatory child with unrecognized cervical spine dislocation.
Report of a Case.
—A 7-year-old boy, a passenger in a motor vehicle accident, was admitted to a local hospital for treatment of soft-tissue injuries. The child denied loss of consciousness and apparently had sustained only mild head trauma. Roentgenographic evaluation of the cervical spine and a computed tomographic scan of the head were reported to be normal. Following discharge, the boy was referred to us for evaluation of anisocoria, first noted 3 days after the accident.Our examination revealed a healthy-appearing boy who