A case of recurrent facial pain associated with a Pourfour du Petit syndrome: a new entity?

Headache. 2014 Feb;54(2):373-7. doi: 10.1111/head.12137. Epub 2013 May 23.

Abstract

We report the case of a 38-year-old woman with a history of migraine who experienced an association of recurrent unilateral facial pain and Pourfour du Petit syndrome. The episodes occurred for between a few seconds and up to 3 minutes up to 6 times a day mimicking short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headaches with cranial autonomic symptoms. No lesional cause was found and the use of topiramate led to a nearly complete disappearance of the episodes. This new entity raises the question of a novel autonomic dysfunction in short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headaches with cranial autonomic symptoms or an unexpected presentation of migraine.

Keywords: Claude Bernard-Horner syndrome; Pourfour du Petit; facial pain; paroxystic mydriasis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Autonomic Nervous System / physiopathology
  • Facial Pain / diagnosis
  • Facial Pain / etiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mydriasis / complications*
  • Mydriasis / diagnosis
  • Pallor / complications*
  • Pallor / diagnosis
  • Recurrence
  • Sweating / physiology
  • Syndrome