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Case Reports
. 2018 Feb 5:2018:bcr2017223214.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2017-223214.

Pontine haemorrhage disguised as Bell's palsy

Ummer Karadan  1 , Robin George Manappallil  2 , Chellenton Jayakrishnan  1 , Ramesh Naga Supreeth  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Pontine haemorrhage disguised as Bell's palsy

Ummer Karadan et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

Isolated facial nerve palsy is a common presentation of Bell's palsy, but rarely seen in pontine lesions. The patient being reported is a middle-aged man who developed isolated facial nerve palsy and was initially treated as Bell's palsy. However, on MRI of the brain, he was found to have pontine haemorrhage. He was managed conservatively and improved. Pontine haemorrhage as an aetiology for isolated facial nerve palsy is a rare scenario, which often goes misdiagnosed and treated as Bell's palsy.

Keywords: Bell’s palsy; facial nerve; facial palsy; hypertension; pontine haemorrhage.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Deviation of angle of mouth to the right side.
Figure 2
Figure 2
MRI of the brain (T1 weighted) showing hyperintensity at the floor of the fourth ventricle in the region of facial nucleus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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