title: Clinical features and outcomes of delayed facial palsy after head trauma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate clinical features and outcomes of delayed facial palsy after head trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cases who had delayed facial palsy after head trauma treated from March 2008 to March 2013 at our hospital were enrolled in the study, and their clinical features and outcomes were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-five of 1620 cases developed delayed facial palsy after head trauma. Facial palsy occurred within day 3-7 in 23 cases, during day 8-14 in 8 cases, and 2 weeks later in 4 cases. Thirty-three cases were treated by prednisolone alone, and two cases who showed ≥90% degeneration of nerve fibers underwent surgical exploration and decompression. Among the 33 cases who received conservative treatment, 27 cases (81.8%) recovered completely, 3 cases (9.1%) recovered to Grade II, and only 3 cases (9.1%) recovered to Grade III or IV. The two surgically treated patients recovered to Grade II and III, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of delayed facial palsy was 2.2% after head trauma. Delayed facial palsy mainly occurred within 2 weeks after head trauma. And over 90% patients achieved good recovery (HB Grade I or II) of facial nerve after conservative treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, PR China; Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, PR China; National Research Institute for Family Planning, Beijing 100081, PR China.
authors.forename: Yanfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, PR China; Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, PR China; Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Naili
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, PR China; Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Yinian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China.
authors.forename: Yefeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, PR China. Electronic address: zhangxf2212@sina.com.
authors.forename: Xuanfen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D020220:Facial Nerve Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014754:Violence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone
keywords: Delayed facial palsy; Facial nerve; HRCT; Head trauma