Preface: Facial Paralysis: State of the Art ix

Daniel S. Alam

Bell’s Palsy 1

Kavita Vakharia and Kalpesh Vakharia

Bell’s palsy is unilateral, acute onset facial paralysis that is a common condition. One in every 65 people experiences Bell’s palsy in the course of their lifetime. The majority of patients afflicted with this idiopathic disorder recover facial function. Initial treatment involves oral corticosteroids, possible antiviral drugs, and protection of the eye from desiccation. A small subset of patients may be left with incomplete recovery, synkinesis, facial contracture, or hemifacial spasm. A combination of medical and surgical treatment options exist to treat the long-term sequelae of Bell’s palsy.

Bell’s Palsy 1

Kavita Vakharia and Kalpesh Vakharia

Bell’s palsy is unilateral, acute onset facial paralysis that is a common condition. One in every 65 people experiences Bell’s palsy in the course of their lifetime. The majority of patients afflicted with this idiopathic disorder recover facial function. Initial treatment involves oral corticosteroids, possible antiviral drugs, and protection of the eye from desiccation. A small subset of patients may be left with incomplete recovery, synkinesis, facial contracture, or hemifacial spasm. A combination of medical and surgical treatment options exist to treat the long-term sequelae of Bell’s palsy.

Botulinum Toxin in the Treatment of Facial Paralysis 11

Omid B. Mehdizadeh, Jacqueline Diels, and William Matthew White

This article reviews the current literature supporting the use of botulinum toxin in producing symmetric facial features and reducing unwanted, involuntary movements. Methods, protocols, and adverse events are discussed. Additionally, the authors suggest that using botulinum toxin as therapy in postparalytic facial synkinesis can provide long-term results when used in conjunction with other treatment modalities.

Management of the Eye in Facial Paralysis 21

John J. Chi

The preoperative assessment of the eye in facial paralysis is a critical component of surgical management. The degree of facial nerve paralysis, lacrimal secretion, corneal sensation, and lower eyelid position must be assessed accurately. Upper eyelid loading procedures are standard management of lagophthalmos. Lower eyelid tightening repositions the lower eyelid and helps maintain the aqueous tear film. Eyelid reanimation allows an aesthetic symmetry with blinking and restores protective functions vital to ocular preservation. Patients often have multiple nervous deficits, including corneal anesthesia. Other procedures include tarsorrhaphy, spring implantation, and temporalis muscle transposition; associated complications have rendered them nearly obsolete.