Concomitant trigeminal involvement in Bell's palsy

Fifty patients [25 males and 25 females] with acute unilateral Bell's palsy were included in this study. Their average age was 36.3 years. Facial pains in the paretic side was experienced by 15 [30%] of the cases. Clinical evidence of trigeminal dysfunction on the paretic side was encountered in 24% of the cases. The facial latency of the contralateral side was prolonged in 8% of the patients [subclinical facial palsy]. Abnormal blink reflex pattern indicative of trigeminal nerve dysfunction was demonstrated in 36% of the patients [i.e. prolonged contralateral late response]. The results of this study drew the attention to the fact that Bell's palsy is a manifestation of polyneuritis cranialis and as well to the important role of blink reflex as a simple non invasive electrodiagnostic method to detect any dysfunction along trigemino-facial reflex arc