Unusual Feature of Chronic Progressive External Ophthalmoplegia

Maria Stamos, DipAppSci (ORTH), DOBA, Grad Dip Neurosciences

A sixty-seven year old man presented with bilateral marked ptosis, gross restriction in elevation, reduced lateral gaze and mild restriction in depression. These ocular movement were associated with an unusual feature of wriggling of the ears on attempted laevo and dextro depression.
Extensive investigation of this patient found mitrochondrial DNA deletion which is associated with ophthalmoplegia, thus the diagnosis of CPEO.
The type of innervational problem seen here may be associated with similar innervational characteristics that occur in cases such as Duane’s Syndrome, Marcus Gunn Jaw Winking Syndrome, third nerve palsies and in a case of congenital fibrosis syndrome.