Celis-Aguilar EM, Villanueva-Ramos NB, González-Fernández M, Arteaga-Yáñez JH

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 42-48
PDF size: 190.21 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Head traumas have a high incidence, affecting the temporal bone up to 40% of patients; there may be damage to the facial nerve in 7-30% of cases. Typically temporal bone fractures are classified into longitudinal or transverse. Facial nerve injuries occur more frequently in transverse fractures or involving the otic capsule, with full facial paralysis up to 25% of cases. CT is the key study in the detection and treatment in case of injury to the facial nerve. This paper reports five cases of facial paralysis associated with temporal bone trauma, assisted at Civil Hospital of Culiacan, México. Out of the five patients, in four paralysis was immediate and in one, late, with House-Brackmann scales ranging between 2 and 4. Four cases presented with longitudinal and two with transverse fractures. By discarding compression and/or section of the facial nerve, conservative treatment was given with corticosteroids. Three cases had injury to geniculate ganglion and two in the tympanic portion of the facial nerve. Due to its increased incidence, longitudinal fractures have more commitment to the facial nerve in the emergency department. The sites most often affected are the geniculate ganglion and tympanic portion.