Abstract

Objective: To describes uncommon cases of Horner's syndrome after Head and neck tumors
surgery.
Patients and Methods: A total of 51 patients underwent surgery for head and neck tumors from
January 2007 to August 2007. Clinical parameters, neurological sequel and other complications
were evaluated in all cases and those developing Horner’s Syndrome were studied.
Results: Of the 51 patients, 5 (9.8%) developed postoperative Horner’s syndrome .Their mean
age of study subjects was 54.74±18.08 years (range 16- 80). The first case is that of a 71 -yearold
female with a history of laryngeal carcinoma complicated by Horner’s syndrome. The second
patient is a man who presented with Hypopharyngeal carcinoma. The third case involved a
woman with total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma. The four and fifth cases were
complications of radical neck dissection.
Conclusion: Post operative Horner’s Syndrome is an uncommon complication of head and neck
surgery. Old age and tumor size were risk factors in our study. (Rawal Med J 2009;34:17-18).

Key words: Sympathetic chain, Horner’s syndrome, head and Neck tumor.