Résumé
Although a benign condition whose etiology has not been definitely established, pathology of the peripheral portion of the facial nerve (clinically called Bells Palsy) can be very disturbing because of the esthetic value of the integrity of the facial nerve. Because of its mild character, very little attention has been paid to the discovery of the etiology and consequently the treatment of the condition. In 1951, a report by Dr. Harold H. Rothendler in the "Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases" indicated encouraging results of therapy on a purely empirical basis, with the use of steroids. Since then the authors have been following the advised regimen of therapy advocated by Dr. Rothendler. The present report studies a total of 43 cases of peripheral facial palsy (Bells Palsy, Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome) and the outcome of the therapy with Prednisolone, particularly Triamcinolone. Encouraging results have been obtained but the outcome of such therapy from these studies indicate that the higher the level of the lesion in the course of the facial nerve the slower is the recovery and the earlier therapy is instituted, the faster is the recovery. (Summary)