Improvement of trigeminal neurotrophic ulceration with pimozide in a cognitively impaired elderly woman-a case report

Abstract

Neurotrophic ulceration of the face is a rare but well recognized sequel to division of the trigeminal nerve. Trauma is an important contributory factor and thought to be due in part to paraesthesiae, which encourages picking and scratching, with resultant chronic and persistent ulceration. A case is described of an 82-year-old woman with severe trigeminal neurotrophic ulceration which improved substantially with pimozide, given for treatment of unrelated paranoid symptoms. The possible relevance of this to the established use of pimozide in delusional parasitosis is briefly discussed.