title: [Facial nerve paralysis secondary to acute otitis media].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss clinical presentation and therapeutic approaches of facial paralysis in acute otitis media.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present five cases of facial palsy in children with acute otitis media managed in our ENT department during a period of 12 years (2001-2012).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 14.2 years; sex ratio was 0.66. All patients presented with a facial asymmetry, but only 3 of them had otalgia before the onset of facial asymmetry. The facial palsy delay was 3.3 days. The ear examination showed that the tympanic membrane was congestive in 4 patients, associated with a bulging in 2 patients, and a small perforation in one patient. Our patients presented grade III to IV initial facial palsy according to House and Brackmann staging. Computed tomography scan revealed a dehiscence of the bony facial canal in one patient. Antibiotic therapy associated with intravenous corticosteroids was administered in all patients. All patients underwent a facial kinesis therapy. A progressive improvement of facial palsy was observed in 4 patients and complete recovery of facial function in one case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Conservative treatment associating intravenous antibiotic and corticosteroids with or without myringotomy is the standard approach.
authors.affiliation: Université de Tunis El Manar, faculté de médecine de Tunis, hôpital de la Rabta, service ORL et chirurgie maxillofaciale, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie. Electronic address: houda.chahed@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Houda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chahed
authors.affiliation: Université de Tunis El Manar, faculté de médecine de Tunis, hôpital de la Rabta, service ORL et chirurgie maxillofaciale, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Afef
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dhaouadi
authors.affiliation: Université de Tunis El Manar, faculté de médecine de Tunis, hôpital de la Rabta, service ORL et chirurgie maxillofaciale, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Azza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mediouni
authors.affiliation: Université de Tunis El Manar, faculté de médecine de Tunis, hôpital de la Rabta, service ORL et chirurgie maxillofaciale, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Skander
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kedous
authors.affiliation: Université de Tunis El Manar, faculté de médecine de Tunis, hôpital de la Rabta, service ORL et chirurgie maxillofaciale, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Rim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bachraoui
authors.affiliation: Université de Tunis El Manar, faculté de médecine de Tunis, hôpital de la Rabta, service ORL et chirurgie maxillofaciale, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Rim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zainine
authors.affiliation: Université de Tunis El Manar, faculté de médecine de Tunis, hôpital de la Rabta, service ORL et chirurgie maxillofaciale, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben Amor
authors.affiliation: Université de Tunis El Manar, faculté de médecine de Tunis, hôpital de la Rabta, service ORL et chirurgie maxillofaciale, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Najeh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Beltaief
authors.affiliation: Université de Tunis El Manar, faculté de médecine de Tunis, hôpital de la Rabta, service ORL et chirurgie maxillofaciale, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Ghazi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Besbes
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D038781:Otoscopy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents