Greater occipital neuralgia associated to an occipital osteolytic lesion: case report

ELCIO JULIATO PIOVESAN, LINEU CESAR WERNECK, PEDRO ANDRÉ KOWACS, CLAUDIO TATSUI, MARCOS CHRISTIANO LANGE, HIPOLITO CARRARO, EHRENFRIED OTHMAR WITTIG

The anatomic distribution of the greater occipital nerve during its path permits a close relationship with muscular structures, tendons, vessels and bones. The rupture of this relationship can origin its irritation and headache. We describe an uncommon association between an osteolytic lesion on occipital bone and greater occipital nerve. The patient, female 50, has been presenting headache for two years on the right occipital region spreading to the hemicranic and ipsilateral supraorbital region. The symptoms started spontaneously or by pressure on the trapezius tendon. The pain lasted about 30 minutes, compressive, mild intensity, with no autonomic symptoms and no improvement after the infiltration in the greater occipital nerve. The total improvement of the symptoms after releasing the nerve has allowed us to associate this lesion to the presence of algic symptoms.