Bilateral facial nerve palsy: four case reports

Abstract

Bilateral facial nerve palsy is relatively uncommon and may occur in association with a variety of neurological, infectious, neoplastic or degenerative disorders. Presentation is made of 4 cases of bilateral facial diplegia due to a refractory anemia with excess of blasts, a Lyme disease and a tuberculoid leprosy. In one of these patients the cause of bilateral seventh-nerve palsy was unknown (Bell's palsy). Facial palsy returned to normal after treatment with steroids in 3 patients. The patient with myelodysplastic syndrome did not show any improvement and died 6 months after diagnosis.