title: Facial nerve paralysis due to chronic otitis media: prognosis in restoration of facial function after surgical intervention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Facial paralysis is an uncommon but significant complication of chronic otitis media (COM). Surgical eradication of the disease is the most viable way to overcome facial paralysis therefrom. In an effort to guide treatment of this rare complication, we analyzed the prognosis of facial function after surgical treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 3435 patients with COM, who underwent various otologic surgeries throughout a period of 20 years, were analyzed retrospectively. Forty six patients (1.33%) had facial nerve paralysis caused by COM. We analyzed prognostic factors including delay of surgery, the extent of disease, presence or absence of cholesteatoma and the type of surgery affecting surgical outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surgical intervention had a good effect on the restoration of facial function in cases of shorter duration of onset of facial paralysis to surgery and cases of sudden onset, without cholesteatoma. No previous ear surgery and healthy bony labyrinth indicated a good postoperative prognosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COM causing facial paralysis is most frequently due to cholesteatoma and the presence of cholesteatoma decreased the effectiveness of surgical treatment and indicated a poor prognosis after surgery. In our experience, early surgical intervention can be crucial to recovery of facial function. To prevent recurrent cholesteatoma, which leads to local destruction of the facial nerve, complete eradication of the disease in one procedure cannot be overemphasized for the treatment of patients with COM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Inje University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gu-Hyun
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: See-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Won Sang
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000601:surgery; D005155:Facial Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult