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Facial palsy in Heerfordt's syndrome: Electrophysiological localization of the lesion
Author(s) -
Glocker F.X.,
Seifert C.,
Lücking C.H.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(199909)22:9<1279::aid-mus18>3.0.co;2-#
Subject(s) - palsy , electrophysiology , medicine , lesion , facial paralysis , physical medicine and rehabilitation , anatomy , audiology , psychology , surgery , pathology , alternative medicine
Heerfordt's syndrome is characterized by fever, uveitis, swelling of the parotid gland, and facial nerve palsy and represents a variety of neurosarcoidosis. Since the first description of the syndrome, discussion about the lesion site has been controversial and has included the assumption of direct nerve compression by parotid gland swelling or a lesion within the facial canal in light of observations of accompanying taste disturbance. We report on a 26‐year‐old man with typical Heerfordt's syndrome who developed bilateral facial nerve palsy. Electrical and magnetic stimulation of the whole facial motor path provided strong evidence for a pathological process that: (i) began in the cerebellopontine angle; (ii) spread distally into the facial canal; and (iii) could be characterized by proximal demyelination. The patient recovered completely within 6 weeks under immunosuppressive therapy with steroids. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 22: 1279–1282, 1999.