title: Idiopathic recurrent facial palsy: Facial nerve decompression via middle cranial fossa approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To introduce our experience of preventing further episodes of idiopathic recurrent facial palsy by facial nerve decompression via middle cranial fossa approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve cases (surgery group) who had idiopathic recurrent facial palsy underwent facial nerve decompression via middle cranial fossa approach, and 6 cases (control group) who declined surgery accepted conservative treatment. Further episodes of facial palsy and final outcomes of facial nerve were recorded. Facial nerve function was assessed by House-Brackmann facial nerve grade system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 8.3% of the patients (one case) in the surgery group had further episodes of facial palsy on the surgical side, but up to 64.7% of the patients (4 cases) in the control group suffered further episodes (p<0.05). 11 patients (91.7%) in the surgery group recovered to Grade I or Grade II in contrast to 3 cases (50%) in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Facial nerve decompression via middle cranial fossa approach was able to prevent further episodes of idiopathic recurrent facial palsy, and surgical decompression seemed to achieve better outcomes of facial nerve than conservative treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, The First People's Hospital of Shangqiu, Shangqiu, P.R.C.
authors.forename: Yunhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, The First People's Hospital of Shangqiu, Shangqiu, P.R.C.
authors.forename: Yuxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, P.R.C.
authors.forename: Daowen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P.R.C.. Electronic address: dmmout@sina.com.
authors.forename: Mingmin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone