Traumatic rupture of the superior oblique muscle tendon resulting in acquired Brown's syndrome.

Traumatic rupture of the superior oblique tendon is a rare cause of acquired Brown's syndrome. This report describes a case of traumatic rupture of the superior oblique tendon, distal to the trochlea, after injury with a plant hook. The ruptured tendon was reapproximated. Postoperatively, asymptomatic Brown's syndrome developed, although residual function of the superior oblique muscle was retained. Full-thickness upper eyelid lacerations, especially those caused by a hook, must be explored carefully to exclude superior oblique tendon rupture. Careful reapproximation of the tendon can result in residual muscle function. Copyright (c) 2010, SLACK Incorporated.