Revista Clínica de Medicina de Familia
ISSN 2386-8201 ISSN 1699-695X
VALDEZ GONZALEZ, Jonathan et al. Facial paralysis: always Bell's palsy?. []. , 6, 3, pp.169-171. ISSN 2386-8201. https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1699-695X2013000300008.
Peripheral facial paralysis is a relatively common reason for primary care consultations, affecting males and females similarly. The most common peripheral facial paralysis is that of idiopathic origin or Bell's palsy, in 70% of cases. Other less frequent aetiologies are injuries, viral infections or a possible neoplastic cause, whether from an intra-cranial or extra-cranial tumour. The most important clinical symptom is that affecting the facial muscles, with a full recovery in up to 80% of cases. Treatment is dependent on aetiology, with the most widely accepted being that for Bell's palsy; the use of corticosteroids. We present the case of a young female patient with refractory facial paralysis under primary healthcare treatment.
: Peripheral facial paralysis; Bell's palsy; cerebellopontine angle; epidermoid tumors.