title: Bell's palsy: a facial nerve paralysis diagnosis of exclusion.
abstract: Bell's Palsy is not synonymous with facial nerve paralysis. While it is a common cause of facial nerve paralysis, it is a diagnosis of exclusion and other causes of facial nerve paralysis should be ruled out by appropriate evaluation and follow-up. A case report is presented of a patient with a facial nerve paralysis, which was initially diagnosed as Bell's Palsy, but which was found to be a poorly differentiated parotid malignancy causing facial nerve paralysis. A review and discussion of Bells Palsy, evaluation and treatment is presented.
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Otolaryngology, Omaha 68105-1065.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Yetter
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Ogren
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Yonkers
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011379:Prognosis; D012737:Sex Factors