Maxillary Ameloblastic Carcinoma with Progressive Ophthalmoplegia and Optic Neuropathy

Abstract

An 80-year-old woman was evaluated for diplopia and blurred vision of the right eye associated with a maxillary ameloblastic carcinoma that had presented as an ameloblastoma 11 years earlier. Neuroimaging revealed ethmoid tumour involving the right orbital apex, cavernous sinus, optic nerve, and middle cranial fossa. After subtotal tumour resection and radiosurgery, ophthalmoplegia, right optic neuropathy, and right trigeminal neuropathy progressed despite initially stable tumour appearance on subsequent neuroimaging. Maxillary ameloblastic carcinoma is a rare tumour that can arise de novo or from a pre-existing ameloblastoma. Little or nothing has been previously reported on this tumour and its associated progressive neuro-ophthalmic deficits.

Keywords::

• ameloblastic carcinoma
• ophthalmoplegia
• optic neuropathy

Declaration of Interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

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