Trigeminal Trophic Syndrome

Abstract

Trigeminal neuropathy with nasal ulceration, sometimes called the trigeminal trophic syndrome, is an unusual complication of anesthesia in the trigeminal area. It is characterized by a crescent-shaped ulcer of the nose that spreads to involve the cheek and upper lip, and is most frequently seen as a complication of section of the trigeminal nerve as treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. Report of a Case A 61-year-old woman, first seen at the dermatology clinic of Mount Sinai Medical Center of Greater Miami in September 1978, had a six-year history of a persistent ulcer of the right side of her nose, which, over the last three years, had enlarged to involve the right cheek. The patient had a history of extreme anxiety and depression over many years, and admitted to picking at the ulcerated area. In 1953, the right side of the mandible had been fractured during a dental procedure. Following this, pain