Facial nerve palsy aboard a commercial aircraft.
Facial baroparesis is facial nerve palsy secondary to barotrauma. This phenomenon is frequently seen in divers, but is under-reported there and has rarely been described in aviators or passengers aboard commercial aircraft. We describe a 24-yr-old healthy aviator who experienced an episode of facial nerve palsy during ascent while traveling as a passenger aboard a commercial flight. The probable pathogenesis of this phenomenon in this case is described.
Grossman
Alon
A
Israeli Air Force Aeromedical Center, Israel. gross-e@zahav.net.il
Ulanovski
David
D
Barenboim
Erez
E
Azaria
Bella
B
Goldstein
Liav
L
D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000401:Aircraft; D005155:Facial Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel