How is peripheral facial palsy treated?

  Peripheral facial palsy is a paralysis of the facial expression muscles caused by damage to the nucleus of the facial nerve or the segments of the facial nerve underneath it. It is not an independent disease, but a symptom common to many diseases. Because the facial nerve is a mixed nerve, when it is damaged, it not only affects facial expression movement, but also affects mastication, speech function, taste, vision and the psycho-psychiatric abnormalities derived from it. The nerve is a mixed nerve, so when it is damaged, it affects masticatory movements, speech, taste, vision and the resulting psychosomatic abnormalities.  For facial nerve palsy, the cause must be determined first, followed by the location of the lesion, and then the function of the facial nerve must be measured to estimate the prognosis and the possibility of natural recovery to determine whether surgery is needed. Generally speaking, the etiology includes congenital, traumatic, inflammatory, tumor, metabolic, idiopathic (Bell’s), toxic, vascular, and immunological. Intra-temporal bone changes are a common cause of facial nerve palsy, accounting for 93% of cases, while Bell’s palsy is the most common, accounting for 49.2%, trauma for 24.7%, tumor for 12.5%, herpes of the ear band for 6.8%, acute and chronic otitis media for 5.6%, and others for 0.8%.  Facial palsy requires history, physical examination, audiology, vestibular function, and imaging to confirm the diagnosis. The localization diagnosis is usually made by lacrimation test, muscle reflex, taste test and submandibular gland flow test. Functional diagnosis includes neuroexcitation test, neuroelectrography, and electromyography.  Treatment of facial nerve palsy includes conservative treatment and surgery. Surgery and surgical procedures are decided according to different etiological sites and facial nerve function.  1.Temporal bone fracture: Incomplete facial palsy can be treated conservatively, if complete paralysis or no improvement or aggravation by conservative treatment should be operated as soon as possible.  2.Bell’s palsy: do functional identification by electrical stimulation test within 2 weeks, if the nerve degeneration fiber has reached 90% or more should be operated promptly.  3.Surgical injury of facial nerve palsy: those who occur immediately should be operated immediately.  4, tumor: determine the site of the tumor, choose the surgical approach and method, and perform facial nerve anastomosis or nerve grafting after removal of the tumor.