Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-dfsvx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T04:46:06.845Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Differential diagnosis of recurrent or bilateral peripheral facial palsy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2012

D M Oosterveer*
Affiliation:
Sophia Rehabilitation Centre, Delft, The Netherlands
C P Bénit
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Westeinde Hospital, The Hague, The Netherlands
E L L M de Schryver
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Rijnland Hospital, Leiderdorp, The Netherlands
*
Address for correspondence: Dr D M Oosterveer, Sophia Rehabilitation Centre, Reinier de Graafweg 1, 2625 AD Delft, The Netherlands Fax: +31 15 27 80 219 E-mail: dmoosterveer@hotmail.com

Abstract

Objective:

To describe the differential diagnosis of recurrent or bilateral peripheral facial palsy.

Method:

Case report and literature review.

Results:

Two patients with recurrent, alternating, peripheral facial palsy are described. In both patients, additional investigation was performed to search for a specific diagnosis. In the first patient, only a positive family history was found, indicating a possible familial susceptibility. In the other patient, diabetes mellitus and hypertension were identified as risk factors.

Conclusion:

There is an important and extensive differential diagnosis of recurrent or bilateral facial palsy. However, in a large proportion of patients the cause remains unknown.

Type
Clinical Records
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Peitersen, E. The natural history of Bell's palsy. Am J Otol 1982;4:107–11Google ScholarPubMed
2 Hauser, WA, Karnes, WE, Annis, J, Kurland, LT. Incidence and prognosis of Bell's palsy in the population of Rochester, Minnesota. Mayo Clin Proc 1971;46:258–64Google ScholarPubMed
3 Peitersen, E. Bell's palsy: the spontaneous course of 2,500 peripheral facial nerve palsies of different etiologies. Acta Otolaryngol Suppl 2002;549:430 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4 Pitts, DB, Adour, KK, Hilsinger, RL Jr. Recurrent Bell's palsy: analysis of 140 patients. Laryngoscope 1988;98:535–40CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5 Cawthorne, T, Haynes, DR. Facial palsy. Br Med J 1956;2:11972000 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6 Hallmo, P, Elverland, HH, Mair, IWS. Recurrent facial palsy. Arch Otorhinolaryngol 1983;237:97102 Google Scholar
7 van Amstel, AD, Devriese, PP. Clinical experiences with recurrences of Bell's palsy. Arch Otorhinolaryngol 1988;245:302–6Google Scholar
8 Sherwen, PJ. Bilateral facial nerve palsy: a case study and literature review. J Otolaryngol 1987;16:2833 Google Scholar
9 Salinas, RA, Alvarez, G, Daly, F, Ferreira, J. Corticosteroids for Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2010;3:CD001942CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10 Navarrete, ML, Cespedes, R, Mesa, M, Grasa, J, Perez, M, Raguer, N et al. Recurrent Bell's facial palsy: our experience [in Spanish]. Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp 2001;52:682–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11 Keane, JR. Bilateral seventh nerve palsy: analysis of 43 cases and review of the literature. Neurology 1994;44:1198–202Google Scholar
12 Li, J, Goldberg, G, Munin, MC, Wagner, A, Zafonte, R. Post-traumatic bilateral facial palsy: a case report and literature review. Brain Inj 2004;18:315–20Google Scholar
13 Kumar, S, Gupta, R. Simulaneous bilateral facial palsy as a result of isolated mandibular fractures. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2006;35:1156–9Google Scholar
14 Edgeworth, FH. Case of bilateral facial paralysis, due to injury by forceps at birth. Br Med J 1894;1:11 Google Scholar
15 Vasquez, JC, Shusterman, EM, Hansbrough, JF. Bilateral facial nerve paralysis after high voltage electrical injury. J Burn Care Rehabil 1999;20:307–8Google Scholar
16 Lopez-Lozano, JJ, Merino, JAG, Liano, H. Bilateral facial paralysis secondary to trichinosis. Acta Neurol Scand 1988;78:194–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17 Ropper, AH, Samuels, MA. Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology, 9th edn. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2009 Google Scholar
18 Massey, EW, Massey, JM. Facial diplegia due to amyloidosis. South Med J 1986;79:1458–9Google Scholar
19 Nikolaou, AC, Vlachtsis, KC, Daniilidis, MA, Petridis, DG, Daniilidis, IC. Wegener's granulomatosis presenting with bilateral facial nerve palsy. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2001;258:198202 Google Scholar
20 Lim, TC, Yeo, WS, Loke, KY, Quek, SC. Bilateral facial nerve palsy in Kawasaki disease. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2009;38:737–8Google Scholar
21 Uchigara, T, Yoshida, S, Tsukagoshi, H. Bilateral facial paresis with Sjögren's syndrome. J Neurol 1989;236:186 Google Scholar
22 Taesdall, RD, Frayha, RA, Shulman, LE. Cranial nerve involvement in systemic sclerosis (scleroderma): a report of 10 cases. Medicine (Baltimore) 1980;59:149–59CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23 Dudley, JP, Goodman, M. Periarteritis nodosa and bilateral facial paralysis. Arch Orolaryngol 1969;90:139–46Google Scholar
24 Cucurachi, L, Cattaneo, L, Gemignani, F, Pavesi, G. Late onset generalized myasthenia gravis presenting with facial weakness and bulbar signs without extraocular muscle involvement. Neurol Sci 2009;Epub ahead of print (PMID:19484183)CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25 Smith, V, Traquina, DN. Pediatric bilateral facial paralysis. Laryngoscope 1998;108:519–23CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26 Menassa, J, Sawaya, R, Masri, AF, Arayssi, T. Recurrent peripheral facial paresis may constitute the sole clinical manifestation in neuro-Behcet disease. Neurologist 2008;14:77 Google Scholar
27 Kim, YH, Choi, IJ, Kim, HM, Ban, JH, Cho, CH, Ahn, JH. Bilateral simultaneous facial nerve palsy: clinical analysis in seven cases. Otol Neurotol 2008;29:397400 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28 Ramsey, KL, Kaseff, LG. Role of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of bilateral facial paralysis. Am J Otol 1993;14:605–9Google ScholarPubMed
29 Mori, E, Kojima, H, Wada, K, Moriyama, H. Middle ear adenoma diagnosed by recurrent facial paralysis. Auris Nasus Larynx 2009;36:75–8Google Scholar
30 Michalopoulos, K, Bajaj, Y, Strachan, DR. Recurrent facial nerve palsy caused by a facial cyst. Br J Hosp Med (Lond) 2008;69:475 Google Scholar
31 Scholz, E, Langer, J, Begall, K. Recurrent facial paresis with facial neurinoma [in German]. Laryngorhinootologie 2007;86:443–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32 Zaytoun, GM, Dagher, WI, Rameh, CE. Recurrent facial nerve paralysis: an unusual presentation of fibrous dysplasia of the temporal bone. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2008;265:255–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33 Eby, TL, Fisch, U, Makek, MS. Facial nerve management in temporal bone hemangiomas. Am J Otol 1992;13:223–32Google ScholarPubMed
34 Sarkar, S, Deb, AR, Saha, K, Das, CS. Simultaneous isolated bilateral facial palsy: a rare vincristine-associated toxicity. Indian J Med Sci 2009;63:355–8Google Scholar
35 Mallya, KB, Mendis, T, Guberman, A. Bilateral facial paralysis following ethylene glycol ingestion. Can J Neurol Sci 1986;13:340–1Google Scholar
36 Lee, RT, Oster, MW, Balmaceda, C, Hasdorffer, CS, Vahdat, LT, Papadopoulos, KP. Bilateral facial nerve palsy secondary to the administration of high-dose paclitaxel. Ann Oncol 1999;10:1245–7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
37 Thai, XC, Bruno-Murtha, LA. Bell's palsy associated with linezolid therapy: case report and review of neuropathic adverse events. Pharmacotherapy 2006;26:1183–9Google Scholar
38 Metson, R, Hanson, DG. Bilateral facial nerve paralysis following arterial embolization for epistaxis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1983;91:299303 Google Scholar
39 Hattori, T, Schlagenhauff, RE. Bilateral facial palsy: occurrence with diabetes mellitus. N Y State J Med 1977;77:1492–3Google Scholar
40 Rice, JP, Horowitz, M, Chin, D. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome with bilateral facial nerve palsies. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1984;47:1356–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
41 Lewis, M, Kallenbach, J, Hockman, M, Zaltzman, M, Zwi, S. Otolaryngological complications of acute porphyria. Laryngoscope 1983;93:483–4Google Scholar
42 Clement, WA, White, A. Idiopathic familial facial nerve paralysis. J Laryngol Otol 2000;114:132–4Google Scholar
43 Döner, F, Kutluhan, S. Familial idiopathic facial palsy. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2000;257:117–19Google ScholarPubMed
44 Kulkarni, GB, Pal, PK, Shyambabu, C, Kovoor, JM, Senthilkumar, E. Osteopetrosis manifesting as recurrent bilateral facial palsy in childhood: a case report. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2011;113:230–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
45 Salameh, JS, Atassi, N, David, WS. SOD1 (A4V)-mediated ALS presenting with lower motor neuron facial diplegia and unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Muscle Nerve 2009;40:880–2Google Scholar
46 Walling, AD. Bell's palsy in pregnancy and the puerperium. J Fam Pract 1993;36:559–63Google ScholarPubMed
47 Raucq, E, Dupuis, MJ. Facial diplegia after hymenoptera sting. Acta Neurol Belg 1998;98:215–20Google Scholar
48 Roh, JK, Kim, BK, Chung, JM. Combined peripheral facial and abducens nerve palsy caused by caudal tegmental pontine infarction. Eur Neurol 1999;41:99102 Google Scholar
49 Strauss, MJ. Diplegia facialis in early syphilis: a report of a case. Arch Dermatol Syph 1929;20:306–14Google Scholar
50 Ernster, JA. Bilateral facial nerve paralysis associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. Ear Nose Throat J 1984;63:585–9Google Scholar
51 Silva, AA, Ducroquet, M, Pedrozo, JC Jr. Bilateral facial palsy associated with leptospirosis. Braz J Infect Dis 2009;13:319–21CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
52 Brown, AJ. Cephalic tetanus with report of a case. Ann Surg 1912;55:473–84Google Scholar
53 Santos, DQ, Adour, KK. Bilateral facial paralysis related to sexually transmitted herpes simplex: clinical course and MRI findings. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1993;108:298303 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
54 Jamal, GA, Al-Husaini, A. Bell's palsy and infection with rubella virus. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1983;46:678–80Google Scholar
55 Sherman, IC, Kimelblot, SJ. Facial paralysis in poliomyelitis: report of 3 patients with unusual delayed paralysis. Neurology 1959;9:282–7Google Scholar
56 Murakami, S, Mizobuchi, M, Nakashiro, Y, Doi, T, Hato, N, Yanagihara, N. Bell palsy and herpes simplex virus: identification of viral DNA in endoneurial fluid and muscle. Ann Intern Med 1996;124:2730 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
57 Kochar, DK, Sirohi, P, Kochar, SK, Bindal, D, Kochar, A, Jhajharia, A et al. Post-malaria neurological syndrome – a case of bilateral facial palsy after Plasmodium vivax malaria. J Vector Borne Disease 2007;44:227–9Google Scholar
58 Boahene, DO, Olsen, KD, Driscoll, C, Lewis, JE, McDonald, TJ. Facial nerve paralysis secondary to occult malignant neoplasms. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2004;130:459–65Google Scholar
59 Catalano, PJ, Sen, C, Biller, HF. Cranial neuropathy secondary to perineural spread of cutaneous malignancies. Am J Otol 1995;16:772–7Google Scholar
60 Breadon, GE, Cody, DT, Weiland, LH. Facial palsy: unusual etiology. Laryngoscope 1977;87:2634 Google Scholar
61 May, M, Hughes, GB. Facial nerve disorders: update 1987. Am J Otol 1987;8:167–80Google Scholar
62 Schwaber, MK, Larson, TC, Zealear, DL, Creasy, J. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in Bell's palsy. Laryngoscope 1990;100:1264–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
63 Auerbach, SH, Depiero, TJ, Mejlszenkier, J. Familial recurrent peripheral facial palsy: observations of the pediatric population. Arch Neurol 1981;38:463–4Google Scholar
64 Qin, D, Ouyang, Z, Luo, W. Familial recurrent Bell's palsy. Neurology India 2009;57:783–4Google Scholar
65 Smith, CI, Hammarström, L, Sidén, A. No significant association between HLA and Bell's palsy. Tissue Antigen 1978;12:404–6Google Scholar
66 Shibahara, T, Okamura, H, Yanagihara, N. Human leukocyte antigens in Bell's palsy. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol Suppl 1988;137:1113 Google Scholar
67 Schwartz, MS, Tiwari, JL, Rice, DH. Bell's palsy and HLA-DR: a possible association. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1986;112:753–4Google Scholar
68 Savadi-Oskouei, D, Abedi, A, Sadeghi-Bazargani, H. Independent role of hypertension in Bell's palsy: a case-control study. Eur Neurol 2008;605:253–7Google Scholar
69 Harms, MM, Rotteveel, JJ, Kar, NC, Gabreëls, FJ. Recurrent alternating facial paralysis and malignant hypertension. Neuropediatrics 2000;31:318–20Google Scholar