[Diagnosis and treatment of 68 cases of traumatic facial nerve paralysis].

Objective: To summarize the clinical characteristics and therapeutic effect of traumatic facial nerve palsy. Methods: Sixty-eight cases of traumatic facial nerve palsy were retrospectively analyzed from January 2015 to May 2023. Results: The median course of disease was 33 days. The facial nerve function of the patients was grade HB-Ⅱin 2 cases, grade HB-Ⅲ in 4 cases, grade HB-Ⅳin 16 cases, grade HB-Ⅴ in 37 cases（38 ears）, and grade HB-Ⅵ in 9 cases. 42 cases occurred immediately after injury and 26 cases were delayed. CT examination of temporal bone revealed longitudinal fractures in 51 cases（52 ears） , transverse fractures in 6 cases and mixed fractures in 4 cases. No definite temporal bone fracture was found in the remaining 7 cases. The segments of facial nerve injury in 49 cases（50 ears） were geniculate ganglion and adjacent, in 7 cases were vertical segment, in 7 cases were horizontal segment, in 2 cases were horizontal segment and vertical segment; and the other 3 cases could not be evaluated. Conservative treatment with glucocorticoids was used in 23 ears and surgery was used in 46 ears. Patients were followed up 6-24 months after treatment, including 20 cases of grade HB-Ⅰ, 19 cases of grade HB-Ⅱ, 23 cases（24 ears） of grade HB-Ⅲ, 4 cases of grade HB-Ⅳ, and 1 case of grade HB-Ⅴ.One patient was lost to follow-up. After treatment, the facial nerve function of patients was significantly improved（ P <0.05）, and there were significant differences between conservative treatment group and surgical treatment group in the course of facial nerve palsy, the ratio of facial palsy immediately after injury, the nerve function before treatment and the nerve function after treatment（ P <0.05）. There were no significant differences in age, sex, hearing condition, temporal bone fracture, facial nerve injury segment and rate of favorable neurologic outcomes（ P >0.05）. The comparison of patients with neurodegeneration rate>90% and ≤90% showed that the facial nerve function of patients with neurodegeneration rate>90% before treatment was significantly worse（ P <0.05）, but there was no significant difference between the facial nerve function after treatment（ P >0.05）. There was no significant difference in facial nerve function between middle fossa approach group and mastoid approach group（ P >0.05）. Conclusion: Patients with traumatic facial nerve palsy should be evaluated individually. Patients with mild facial nerve palsy, low neurodegeneration rate and short course of disease can be treated conservatively and followed up closely. Patients with severe facial nerve palsy, high neurodegeneration rate and more than 6 weeks of disease can be actively considered surgery. Good prognosis can be obtained by correct evaluation and treatment.