ArticleJournal of otolaryngology - head & neck surgery = Le Journal d'oto-rhino-laryngologie et de chirurgie cervico-faciale2018
Delayed facial nerve decompression for severe refractory cases of Bell's palsy: a 25-year experience.
Article in Journal of otolaryngology - head & neck surgery = Le Journal d'oto-rhino-laryngologie et de chirurgie cervico-faciale, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 29 citations in OpenAlex.
- Surgical interventions for the early management of Bell's palsy.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- Transauricular facial nerve combing for post-paralytic synkinesis and tightness: a propensity score-matched study.BMC surgery · 2026Article
- Efficacy of incus reposition ossiculoplasty in middle ear cholesteatoma surgery.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026Article
- Investigation of the Effects of the Timing of Decompression and Topical Mitomycin-C Application on Nerve Regeneration in a Rat Model of Bell's Palsy.Turkish archives of otorhinolaryngology · 2025Article
- [Effect analysis of facial nerve decompression surgery in the treatment of Bell's palsy and Hunt syndrome].Lin chuang er bi yan hou tou jing wai ke za zhi = Journal of clinical otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery · 2024Article
- Surgical management and the prognosis of iatrogenic facial nerve injury in middle ear surgery: a 20-year experience.Head & face medicine · 2023Article
- Surgical Treatment Outcome for Familial Melkersson-Rosenthal Syndrome.The American journal of case reports · 2023Article
- Frequency-dependent hearing outcomes with or without preservation of intact ossicular articulations.Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology · 2023Article
- Comparison of Medical and Surgical Treatment in Severe Bell's Palsy.Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Article
- Surgical Outcomes of Transmastoid Facial Nerve Decompression for Patients With Traumatic Facial Nerve Paralysis.The journal of international advanced otology · 2021Article
- The etiology of Bell's palsy: a review.Journal of neurology · 2020Review
- Clinical Implication of Facial Nerve Decompression in Complete Bell's Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Clinical and experimental otorhinolaryngology · 2019Review
- Steroid administration facilitates recovery in severe refractory Bell's palsy patients who did not receive steroids in the acute stage: a retrospective study.Frontiers in neurologyArticle
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThis study aims to assess the effectiveness of delayed facial nerve decompression for Bell's palsy (BP).
methodsWe performed a retrospective case review of all patients having undergone facial nerve decompression for severe refractory BP between 1984 and 2009 at our tertiary referral center. Demographics, timing between onset of symptoms and surgical decompression, degree of facial nerve dysfunction pre- and post-operatively, follow-up length after surgery and postoperative complications were recorded. Facial nerve dysfunction was assessed using the House-Brackmann (HB) scale. Electroneuronography, electromyography and imaging results were assessed when available.
resultsEighteen patients had surgery between 21 and 60 days after onset of BP (group I), and 18 patients had surgery more than 60 days after onset of symptoms (group II). In group II, 11 patients had surgery between 61 and 89 days and 7 patients after 90 days. Groups I and II showed similar functional gain and rates of improvement to HB 3 or better (11/18 vs. 11/18, p > 0.05). In group II, patients operated 60 to 89 days after onset of BP showed a significantly higher rate of improvement to HB 3 or better (9/11 vs. 2/6, p = 0.049) with higher functional gain compared to those operated after 90 days (p = 0.0293).
conclusionsWhen indicated, facial nerve decompression for BP is usually recommended within the first 2 weeks of onset of facial paralysis. Nonetheless, our results suggest that patients with severe BP could benefit from decompression surgery within 90 days after onset of symptoms in the absence of an opportunity to proceed earlier to surgery. Further investigation is still required to confirm our findings.
trial registrationRetrospective registered. IRB# 2016-6154, CE 15.154 - CA.
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