Acute Inflammatory Facial Nerve Paralysis / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

Bell's palsy is the most common form of acute facial nerve disorder, which presents as an acute peripheral unilateral facial palsy of unknown cause. Ramsay-Hunt syndrome is the second most common cause of acute facial palsy, and is known to be caused by reactivation of latent varicella zoster virus. The main goal of treatment for acute inflammatory facial nerve paralysis is to speed up recovery, to facilitate the recovery more completely and to prevent other sequelae. However, some patients may have a poor recovery with permanent, disfiguring facial asymmetry despite of many kinds of treatments. Regarding the diagnostic and therapeutic issues of the two common disorders, there still exist some controversies. This article reviewed recent evidences on several important issues in evaluation and management of acute inflammatory facial nerve paralysis, and intended to provide an evidence-based framework for decision-making in the clinic.