Bilateral facial nerve paralysis-diagnosis and treatment / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the ways of diagnosis and treatment of bilateral facial nerve palsy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seven cases of bilateral facial nerve paralysis in 1996 - 2003 were retrospectively reviewed, and then the ways of diagnosis and therapies of these cases were analyzed. There were 6 patients with doubtless diagnosis. They were diagnosed as acute leukaemia, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH), Machado-Jesoph disease, bilateral mandible fractures, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and Bell's palsy. The last one was diagnosed as Herpes zoster virus infection or Lyme disease. In all these cases, there were 4 of 5 positive cerebrospinal fluids test, 1 of 6 positive lyme antibody test, 2 of 5 positive images test, 7 of 7 EMG and Br test showed that the paralysis was peripheral palsy. All the 7 cases were treated with steroid and vitamin.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>House-Brackmann I was defined as complete recovery, after up to 2 months follow up, there were four cases got completely recovery while 2 cases incomplete recovery, and 1 case was not reacted to the therapy.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Bilateral facial nerve paralysis was rare, and it was difficult to diagnosis and differentiation, while diagnostic mistakes would be serious. More attention should be paid to it in clinic.</p>