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Ischemic paralysis of the facial nerve: A possible etiologic factor in Bell's palsy
Author(s) -
Calcaterra Thomas C.,
Rand Robert W.,
Bentson John R.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-197601000-00019
Subject(s) - medicine , paralysis , palsy , facial nerve , facial paralysis , bell's palsy , etiology , occlusion , middle meningeal artery , surgery , ischemia , embolization , anatomy , cardiology , pathology , alternative medicine
Numerous causes of peripheral facial nerve paralyses have been described; however, none has satisfactorily explained the genesis of the most common type of paralysis, Bell's palsy. Two patients undergoing an experimental embolization of vascular intracranial tumors suffered a total peripheral facial nerve paralysis when occlusion of the middle meningeal artery had been accomplished. It is speculated that this paralysis resulted from ischemia of the horizontal portion of the facial nerve, an observation that has not previously been described and that might be applicable as well to the etiology of Bell's palsy.