Biomaterial Database

Delayed presentation of traumatic facial nerve (CN VII) paralysis. 2005

Anthony M Napoli, and Peter Panagos

Department of Emergency Medicine, Brown Medical School, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA.

Facial nerve paralysis (Cranial Nerve VII, CN VII) can be a disfiguring disorder with profound impact upon the patient. The etiology of facial nerve paralysis may be congenital, iatrogenic, or result from neoplasm, infection, trauma, or toxic exposure. In the emergency department, the most common cause of unilateral facial paralysis is Bell's palsy, also known as idiopathic facial paralysis (IFP). We report a case of delayed presentation of unilateral facial nerve paralysis 3 days after sustaining a traumatic head injury. Re-evaluation and imaging of this patient revealed a full facial paralysis and temporal bone fracture extending into the facial canal. Because cranial nerve injuries occur in approximately 5-10% of head-injured patients, a good history and physical examination is important to differentiate IFP from another etiology. Newer generation high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans are commonly demonstrating these fractures. An understanding of this complication, appropriate patient follow-up, and early involvement of the Otolaryngologist is important in management of these patients. The mechanism as well as the timing of facial nerve paralysis will determine the proper evaluation, consultation, and management for the patient. Patients with total or immediate paralysis as well as those with poorly prognostic audiogram results are good candidates for surgical repair.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D004636	Emergency Service, Hospital	Hospital department responsible for the administration and provision of immediate medical or surgical care to the emergency patient.	Emergency Outpatient Unit,Emergency Services Utilization,Hospital Emergency Room,Hospital Emergency Service,Hospital Emergency Services Utilization,Accident and Emergency Department,Emergency Departments,Emergency Hospital Service,Emergency Room,Emergency Units,Emergency Ward,Hospital Service Emergency,Service, Hospital Emergency,Department, Emergency,Departments, Emergency,Emergencies, Hospital Service,Emergency Department,Emergency Hospital Services,Emergency Outpatient Units,Emergency Room, Hospital,Emergency Rooms,Emergency Rooms, Hospital,Emergency Services, Hospital,Emergency Unit,Emergency Wards,Emergency, Hospital Service,Hospital Emergency Rooms,Hospital Emergency Services,Hospital Service Emergencies,Hospital Service, Emergency,Hospital Services, Emergency,Outpatient Unit, Emergency,Outpatient Units, Emergency,Room, Emergency,Room, Hospital Emergency,Rooms, Emergency,Rooms, Hospital Emergency,Service Emergencies, Hospital,Service Emergency, Hospital,Service, Emergency Hospital,Services Utilization, Emergency,Services Utilizations, Emergency,Services, Emergency Hospital,Services, Hospital Emergency,Unit, Emergency,Unit, Emergency Outpatient,Units, Emergency,Units, Emergency Outpatient,Utilization, Emergency Services,Ward, Emergency,Wards, Emergency
D005154	Facial Nerve	The 7th cranial nerve. The facial nerve has two parts, the larger motor root which may be called the facial nerve proper, and the smaller intermediate or sensory root. Together they provide efferent innervation to the muscles of facial expression and to the lacrimal and SALIVARY GLANDS, and convey afferent information for TASTE from the anterior two-thirds of the TONGUE and for TOUCH from the EXTERNAL EAR.	Cranial Nerve VII,Marginal Mandibular Branch,Marginal Mandibular Nerve,Seventh Cranial Nerve,Nerve VII,Nerve of Wrisberg,Nervus Facialis,Nervus Intermedius,Nervus Intermedius of Wrisberg,Cranial Nerve VIIs,Cranial Nerve, Seventh,Facial Nerves,Mandibular Nerve, Marginal,Mandibular Nerves, Marginal,Marginal Mandibular Nerves,Nerve VIIs,Nerve, Facial,Nerve, Marginal Mandibular,Nerve, Seventh Cranial,Nerves, Marginal Mandibular,Nervus Faciali,Seventh Cranial Nerves,Wrisberg Nerve,Wrisberg Nervus Intermedius
D005158	Facial Paralysis	Severe or complete loss of facial muscle motor function. This condition may result from central or peripheral lesions. Damage to CNS motor pathways from the cerebral cortex to the facial nuclei in the pons leads to facial weakness that generally spares the forehead muscles. FACIAL NERVE DISEASES generally results in generalized hemifacial weakness. NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION DISEASES and MUSCULAR DISEASES may also cause facial paralysis or paresis.	Facial Palsy,Hemifacial Paralysis,Facial Palsy, Lower Motor Neuron,Facial Palsy, Upper Motor Neuron,Facial Paralysis, Central,Facial Paralysis, Peripheral,Facial Paresis,Lower Motor Neuron Facial Palsy,Upper Motor Neuron Facial Palsy,Central Facial Paralyses,Central Facial Paralysis,Facial Palsies,Facial Paralyses, Central,Facial Paralyses, Peripheral,Palsies, Facial,Palsy, Facial,Paralyses, Central Facial,Paralyses, Facial,Paralyses, Hemifacial,Paralysis, Central Facial,Paralysis, Facial,Paralysis, Hemifacial,Paralysis, Peripheral Facial,Pareses, Facial,Paresis, Facial,Peripheral Facial Paralysis
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000063	Accidents, Traffic	Accidents on streets, roads, and highways involving drivers, passengers, pedestrians, or vehicles. Traffic accidents refer to AUTOMOBILES (passenger cars, buses, and trucks), BICYCLING, and MOTORCYCLES but not OFF-ROAD MOTOR VEHICLES; RAILROADS nor snowmobiles.	Traffic Collisions,Traffic Crashes,Traffic Accidents,Accident, Traffic,Collision, Traffic,Collisions, Traffic,Crashes, Traffic,Traffic Accident,Traffic Collision
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D012887	Skull Fractures	Fractures of the skull which may result from penetrating or nonpenetrating head injuries or rarely BONE DISEASES (see also FRACTURES, SPONTANEOUS). Skull fractures may be classified by location (e.g., SKULL FRACTURE, BASILAR), radiographic appearance (e.g., linear), or based upon cranial integrity (e.g., SKULL FRACTURE, DEPRESSED).	Linear Skull Fracture,Skull Fracture, Linear,Skull Fracture, Non-Depressed,Non-Depressed Skull Fracture,Fracture, Non-Depressed Skull,Fracture, Skull,Fractures, Linear Skull,Fractures, Non-Depressed Skull,Fractures, Skull,Linear Skull Fractures,Non Depressed Skull Fracture,Non-Depressed Skull Fractures,Skull Fracture,Skull Fracture, Non Depressed,Skull Fractures, Linear,Skull Fractures, Non-Depressed
D013701	Temporal Bone	Either of a pair of compound bones forming the lateral (left and right) surfaces and base of the skull which contains the organs of hearing. It is a large bone formed by the fusion of parts: the squamous (the flattened anterior-superior part), the tympanic (the curved anterior-inferior part), the mastoid (the irregular posterior portion), and the petrous (the part at the base of the skull).	Stylomastoid Foramen,Bone, Temporal,Temporal Bones
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor