title: Recovery of facial movement and facial synkinesis in Bell's palsy patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the relationship between the time course of development of facial synkinesis in patients with Bell's palsy and the severity of facial nerve damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine consecutive patients with Bell's palsy who developed synkinesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnostic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were divided into groups A (electroneurographic [ENoG] value, <10%; n = 31) and B (ENoG value, > or =10%; n = 8). Development of facial synkinesis was assessed based on the appearance of synkinetic potentials from the orbicularis oris muscle on the blink reflex test. Times to appearance of facial synkinesis in groups A and B were compared. The proportion of patients who developed facial synkinesis after complete recovery of facial movement was also assessed in 14 patients whose facial movement recovered completely.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean time to maximal recovery of facial movement was significantly longer in group A than in group B (p < 0.001), whereas the duration between the appearance of facial synkinesis and the onset of facial paralysis did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (p = 0.72). The proportion of patients who developed facial synkinesis after complete recovery of facial movement was significantly greater in group B than in group A (p = 0.015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During the course of recovery from Bell's palsy, the patients with an ENoG value of 10% or greater have a higher risk of developing facial synkinesis after complete recovery of facial movement.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. oriori1020@yahoo.co.jp
authors: Kaori
authors: K
authors: Kanaya
authors: Munetaka
authors: M
authors: Ushio
authors: Kenji
authors: K
authors: Kondo
authors: Miho
authors: M
authors: Hagisawa
authors: Keigo
authors: K
authors: Suzukawa
authors: Takuhiro
authors: T
authors: Yamaguchi
authors: Hitoshi
authors: H
authors: Tojima
authors: Mitsuya
authors: M
authors: Suzuki
authors: Tatsuya
authors: T
authors: Yamasoba
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020330:Bell Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D046608:Synkinesis / Q000503:physiopathology*