Facial nerve palsy

Vestibular schwannomas (VS) are benign tumours arising from the vestibulocochlear nerve. Among the management options available, surgical resection is often considered, especially if lesions are enlarging or symptomatic. Translabyrinthine (TL) resection of a vestibular schwannoma is one of three basic approaches available to the surgeon. Complications generally associated with this approach can include cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, hearing and balance issues, infection, and facial nerve palsies. We present the case of a patient with a previously unreported type of complication: that of cystic CSF collection within the temporal lobe and associated oedema...

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INTRODUCTION: The retrograde approach (RP) to nerve identification is a method seldom used in parotid surgery. A systematic review comparing this method to the standard anterograde approach (AP) with respect to facial nerve palsy (FNP) does not currently exist. METHODS: In a meta-analysis according to the PRISMA statement, eight publications, including one randomized controlled trial, were selected. The primary aim was to compare the temporary and permanent FNP resulting from the two dissection methods...

The diagnosis of primary hemifacial spasm (pHFS), due to a benign compression of the facial motor nerve by a vessel, within or close to its root exit zone, is often made with delay. Misdiagnosis includes psychogenic spasm, tics, facial myokymia or blepharospasm, but in fact post-facial palsy synkinesis (post-paralytic HFS) is the closest clinical condition, because it is limited to the territory of the facial nerve of a single hemiface. The differential diagnosis between these two entities, whose pathophysiological mechanisms are very different, can be made by electroneuromyographic (ENMG) examination...

OBJECTIVE: Identifying the nerve of origin in head and neck schwannomas is a diagnostic challenge. Surgical management leads to a risk of permanent deficit. Accurate identification of the nerve would improve operative planning and patient counselling. METHODS: Three patients with head and neck schwannomas underwent a diagnostic procedure hypothesised to identify the nerve of origin. The masses were infiltrated with 1 per cent lidocaine solution, and the patients were observed for neurological deficits...

BACKGROUND: The reconstructive approach for incomplete facial paralysis is not yet determined. In this article we present a new surgical approach for patients with incomplete facial paralysis in which residual, ineffective movement is detected pre-operatively in the ipsilateral bucco-zygomatic territory of the paretic facial nerve. METHODS: Sixteen patients with incomplete facial paralysis were found eligible for the procedure and underwent one-stage facial reanimation by the senior author (E...

BACKGROUND: The surgical management of malignant tumors in the head and neck region often leads to functional and esthetic defects that impair the quality of life of the patients. Reconstruction can be solved with prostheses in these cases, but various types of microsurgical free flaps can provide a better clinical outcome. CASE PRESENTATION: In this case report, the tumor and parts of the involved facial muscles and nerve were excised surgically from a 42-year-old patient after a third relapse of basal cell carcinoma in the left midface...

Background: Symptomatic hydrocephalus due to vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia is a rare occurrence. Case Description: We report a patient who presented with acute confusion and vomiting. Neuroimaging revealed elongated and tortuous basilar artery indenting and elevating the floor of third ventricle causing obstructive hydrocephalus. Initially, the patient was treated with external ventricular drain and then with ventriculo-peritoneal shunt. Conclusion: We suggest prompt surgical intervention upon diagnosis as a first choice of treatment in order to avoid further complications...

Tonsil surgeries are the most frequently performed surgical procedures in ENT departments. We would like to present the case of a 5-year-old patient who suffered from unilateral peripheral facial nerve palsy and laryngeal spasm following adenotonsillectomy. Paresis was observed immediately after the transfer of the patient to the postoperative room. The activity of facial muscles was restored within 2 hours from the beginning of the surgery. We assume that this was the direct effect of an anaesthetic on the extracranial processes of the facial nerve...

Recent facial paralyses, in which fibrillations of the mimetic muscles are still detectable by electromyography (EMG), allow facial reanimation based on giving new neural stimuli to musculature. However, if more time has elapsed, mimetic muscles can undergo irreversible atrophy, and providing a new neural stimulus is simply not effective. In these cases function is provided by transferring free flaps into the face or transposing masticatory muscles to reinstitute major movements, such as eyelid closure and smiling...

BACKGROUND: Vestibular schwannomas and meningiomas account for the great majority of lesions arising in the cerebellopontine angle (CPA). In this report, we present a case of glioneuronal heterotopia, also known as glioneuronal hamartoma, arising from the VIII cranial nerve, which is an extremely uncommon lesion. Important radiologic and surgical aspects are reviewed, which may help in early recognition and intraoperative decision making when these lesions are encountered. CASE DESCRIPTION: A healthy 29-year-old female presented with intermittent right facial numbness...

A few approaches can be used to decompress traumatic facial nerve paralysis including the middle cranial fossa approach or transmastoid approach depending on the site of injury. In some specific situation of treating traumatic facial nerve palsy whose injured site was confined from the geniculate ganglion to the second genu, transcanal endoscopic approach for facial nerve decompression can be used. We performed two cases of total endoscopic transcanal facial nerve decompression in patients with traumatic facial nerve palsy...

Idiopathic peripheral facial palsy, also named Bell's palsy, is the most common cause of peripheral facial palsy in adults. Although it is considered as a benign condition, its social and psychological impact can be dramatic, especially in the case of incomplete recovery. The main pathophysiological hypothesis is the reactivation of HSV 1 virus in the geniculate ganglia, leading to nerve edema and its compression through the petrosal bone. Patients experience an acute (less than 24 hours) motor deficit involving ipsilateral muscles of the upper and lower face and reaching its peak within the first three days...

A 62-year-old woman developed a right horizontal gaze palsy and ipsilateral facial nerve palsy due to a right pontine tegmentum infarct. This constitutes a forme fruste of the eight-and-a-half syndrome that we have termed the eight syndrome.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is the most popular agent today for intradermal injections to improve wrinkles and other cosmetic defects. Ischemic necrosis due to injection of HA is one of the serious complications. Because there are many vascular branches around the nose, caution and care should be given during facial filler injection. Although the incidence is rare, blindness and permanent visual loss may occur. We describe a 29-year-old woman presented with painful erythematous swelling with violaceous patch on right periocular area and glabella after HA filler injection...

Recent facial palsies are those in which fibrillations of the mimetic musculature remain detectable by electromyography (EMG). Such fibrillations generally cease 18-24 months after palsy onset. During this period, facial re-animation surgery seeks to supply new neural inputs to the facial nerve. Neural usable sources were divided into qualitative (contralateral facial nerve) and quantitative (hypoglossus and masseteric nerve), depending on the type of stimulus provided. To further improve the extent and quality of facial re-animation, we here describe a new surgical technique featuring triple neural inputs: the use of the masseteric nerve and 30% of the hypoglossus nerve fibres as quantitative sources was associated with the contralateral facial nerve (incorporated via two cross-face nerve grafts) as a qualitative source in order to restore facial movements in 24 consecutive patients...

INTRODUCTION: Facial-nerve palsy is the most common complication during facial surgery. However, there are few detailed reports on the distribution of the terminal branches of the facial nerve to the mimetic muscles. This also applies to the communicating branches. The aim of our study was to assess the variability of communicant and terminal branches of the facial nerve in humans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study involved anatomical dissections and intraoperative electric stimulation of facial nerves...

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement, including optic nerve involvement, in a patient with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an extremely rare condition. We report a case of bilateral optic nerve involvement combined with unilateral facial palsy in a patient with AML who achieved complete remission following allogenic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation as a young patient. After further evaluation, the patient was diagnosed with a recurrence of AML with CNS involvement. The presentation of multiple types of CNS involvement in AML may be suspicious evidence of AML recurrence...

Background and objective We aimed to analyze the alterations in sensorimotor gating at brainstem after peripheral facial palsy (PFP). To examine sensorimotor gating, we used prepulse modulation (PPM) of blink reflex (BR). We also recorded BR recovery to identify excitability changes in the facial nucleus. Patients and method We included 33 patients and 39 recordings. Control group was composed of 16 healthy subjects. Simultaneous bilateral baseline BR, BR recovery at ISI of 300-ms and BR-PPM at ISI of 100-ms recordings were performed after stimulation of trigeminal nerve on right sides of healthy subjects and on both sides of patients...

Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS) is a rare syndrome of facial nerve palsy, facial edema, and lingua plicata that can be difficult to treat. We observed a patient with MRS of 4 years' duration that was unsuccessfully treated with multiple therapies. After a variety of diagnoses were considered at outside institutions, including Bell palsy, we diagnosed the patient with MRS based on clinical presentation of the classic triad. Treatment with adalimumab, a tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) antibody, showed improvement and relapse-free progress...