CLINICAL INVESTIGATIONPeripheral Facial Palsy Descriptive Studyat
CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
Peripheral Facial Palsy. Descriptive Study at the University Hospital in Getafe
Alejandra Ayala Mejías, José Carlos Casqueiro Sánchez, Enrique Durio Calero, and Ricardo Sanz Fernández
Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Getafe, Madrid, Spain
Objective: Our aim is to validate a protocol for the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral facial palsy.
Material and method: A cross-sectional and retrospective descriptive study was made of 63 patients diagnosed with facial palsy and given out-patient follow-up care.
Results: The average age was 41 years, with a 60 % preponderance of men, and the predominant side was the left one with a House-Brackmann degree of III on debut. The average time of evolution was 24 hours and the most frequent symptoms were mastoid pain and algiacusia. The treatment used was oral corticoids. Most were discharged in the first
60 days, without any relation with treatment or with the initial degree.
Conclusions: Our protocol is valid and it allows suitable monitoring of this pathology. Most of the cases are resolved within the first 60 days. The tests habitually done have a low diagnostic yield, except for the electroneuronography, very useful within the first 21 days.
Parálisis facial periférica. Estudio descriptivo en el Hospital Universitario de Getafe
Key words: Facial palsy. Protocol. Treatment.
Palabras clave: Parálisis facial. Protocolo. Tratamiento.
INTRODUCTION
Although tumoral cause is infrequent, we must not discard it as paralysis is the most frequent symptom of these tumours.6 Presenting symptoms are deviation of the buccal commissure to the opposite side, ipsilateral tears and disappearance of forehead wrinkles. All these symptoms manifest as an inability to keep food in the mouth, although most patients come to the clinic because of difficulty in closing the affected eye.7
The diagnosis is basically clinical using the HouseBrackmann scale introduced in 1985 as a universal classification system.8 For some
Peripheral Facial Palsy. Descriptive Study at the University Hospital in Getafe
Alejandra Ayala Mejías, José Carlos Casqueiro Sánchez, Enrique Durio Calero, and Ricardo Sanz Fernández
Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Getafe, Madrid, Spain
Objective: Our aim is to validate a protocol for the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral facial palsy.
Material and method: A cross-sectional and retrospective descriptive study was made of 63 patients diagnosed with facial palsy and given out-patient follow-up care.
Results: The average age was 41 years, with a 60 % preponderance of men, and the predominant side was the left one with a House-Brackmann degree of III on debut. The average time of evolution was 24 hours and the most frequent symptoms were mastoid pain and algiacusia. The treatment used was oral corticoids. Most were discharged in the first
60 days, without any relation with treatment or with the initial degree.
Conclusions: Our protocol is valid and it allows suitable monitoring of this pathology. Most of the cases are resolved within the first 60 days. The tests habitually done have a low diagnostic yield, except for the electroneuronography, very useful within the first 21 days.
Parálisis facial periférica. Estudio descriptivo en el Hospital Universitario de Getafe
Key words: Facial palsy. Protocol. Treatment.
Palabras clave: Parálisis facial. Protocolo. Tratamiento.
INTRODUCTION
Although tumoral cause is infrequent, we must not discard it as paralysis is the most frequent symptom of these tumours.6 Presenting symptoms are deviation of the buccal commissure to the opposite side, ipsilateral tears and disappearance of forehead wrinkles. All these symptoms manifest as an inability to keep food in the mouth, although most patients come to the clinic because of difficulty in closing the affected eye.7
The diagnosis is basically clinical using the HouseBrackmann scale introduced in 1985 as a universal classification system.8 For some
References: Idiopathic facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy). Otol Neurotology. 2002;23:617-8. Bell’s palsy. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2002;82:28-32. Move Disord. 2002;17 Suppl:49-52. Neurotology. 2003;24:118-22. neurofisiology clínica. 2003;36:991-6. prednisone versus aciclovir three times daily. Laryngoscope. 1998;108:573-5. facial disability. Otol Neurotology. 2003;24:677-81. Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp. 2007;58(2):52-5 55