RESUMO
Facial nerve palsy has a broad differential diagnosis and possible psychological and anatomical consequences. A thorough investigation must be performed to determine the cause of the palsy and to direct treatment. If no cause can be found, therapy with prednisone with or without an antiviral medication can be considered and begun as early as possible after onset of symptoms. Resolution and time to recovery vary with etiology, but overall prognosis is good.
Assuntos
Doenças do Nervo Facial , Paralisia Facial , Adulto , Anti-Inflamatórios/uso terapêutico , Antivirais/uso terapêutico , Paralisia de Bell/epidemiologia , Paralisia de Bell/virologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Diagnóstico por Imagem , Nervo Facial/anatomia & histologia , Doenças do Nervo Facial/diagnóstico , Doenças do Nervo Facial/epidemiologia , Doenças do Nervo Facial/etiologia , Doenças do Nervo Facial/genética , Doenças do Nervo Facial/terapia , Doenças do Nervo Facial/virologia , Traumatismos do Nervo Facial/complicações , Traumatismos do Nervo Facial/congênito , Paralisia Facial/diagnóstico , Paralisia Facial/epidemiologia , Paralisia Facial/etiologia , Paralisia Facial/terapia , Feminino , Humanos , Hipertensão/complicações , Incidência , Lactente , Doença de Lyme/complicações , Doença de Lyme/tratamento farmacológico , Masculino , Otite Média/complicações , Otite Média/tratamento farmacológico , Otite Média/cirurgia , Ensaios Clínicos Controlados Aleatórios como Assunto , Viroses/complicaçõesRESUMO
During a 20-year period (1980 - 1999) 12 children with isolated congenital unilateral facial nerve palsy were seen at our hospital. The only child delivered by forceps made a full recovery from his palsy within two months, whereas functional improvement in patients with non-traumatic delivery was generally poor. In two patients the palsy affected predominantly the upper periocular region. In 10 children the lower facial region seemed to be mainly involved. Cognitive outcome was within normal limits, with one exception. Conventional neuroimaging was not contributory to the understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms. We conclude that the majority of congenital unilateral facial nerve palsies are not of traumatic origin and carry a poor functional prognosis.
