title: Unique case of eleven Bell's palsy episodes.
abstract: Bell's palsy (BP) is a peripheral facial nerve paralysis of unknown etiology. It is not a life-threatening condition; however, incomplete recovery may leave an individual stigmatized functionally, occupationally as well as socially. Recurrent paralyses are seldom, noted in 7-8% of all BP cases. More than two BP relapses are even less frequent. Adour et al. (1977) reported only two patients with four BP episodes from 1700 patients. Only one patient with more than four BP recurrences in the group containing 2414 BP cases were reported by Yanagihara et al. (1984). The highest reported number of BP recurrences in the accessible literature has been nine. We are presenting an unusual patient who suffered a total of eleven relapses of an idiopathic facial nerve palsy. Description of the case along with review of the relevant literature are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Neurologic Clinic, Jesenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Kollarova 1, Martin 03601, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kurca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drobný
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vosko
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nosál
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Straková
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grofik
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Goldman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020330:Bell Palsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012008:Recurrence