Facial paralysis has numerous etiologies ranging from the most common, Bell's palsy and trauma, to rare tumors and congenital anomalies. This paper divides the etiologies of facial paralysis into five major classifications: idiopathic, traumatic, infectious, neoplastic and neurologic. The incidence of each of these classifications has been estimated from incidence rate information published in the United States and abroad. Using this information, an estimate of the incidence rate has been determined. This information was previously untabulated, thus making statistical analysis nearly impossible regarding this disorder.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
United States National Center for Health Statistics.Prevalence of Selected Impairments: United States, 1977 (DHHS Pub. No. PHS 81-1562).Washington, DC, Government Printing Office, 1981. (Vital and Health Statistics Series 10: Data from the National Health Survey No. 134).
2.
AdourK.K., ByleF.M., HilsingerR.L.Jr.The true nature of Bell's palsy: Analysis of 1,000 consecutive patients. Laryngoscope1978; 88: 787–801.
3.
PetruzzelliG.J., HirschB.E.Bell's palsy: A diagnosis of exclusion. Postgrad Med1991; 91: 115–27.
4.
YetterM.F., OrgenF.P., MooreG.F.Bell's palsy: A facial nerve paralysis diagnosis of exclusion. Nebr Med J1990; 75: 109–16.
5.
OhyeR.G., AtenbergerE.A.Bell's palsy. Am Fam Physician1989; 40: 159–66.
6.
KatusicS.K., BeardC.M., WeiderholtW.C.Incidence, clinical features and prognosis in Bell's palsy; Rochester, Minnesota 1968–1982. Ann Neurol1986; 20: 622–7.
7.
United States Department of Commerce.Economics and Statistics Administration. Bureau of the Census. Estimates of the Population of the United States to August 1, 1991. Washington, DC, Government Printing Office, 1991. (Population Estimates and Projections series p-25, No. 1078).
8.
RatanaprasatpornS., RizzaA., LapidotA.Facial nerve palsy: Five year survey. J Laryngol Otol1972; 86: 155–9.
9.
MooreG.F.Facial nerve paralysis. Prim Care1990; 17: 437–60.
RobillardR.B., HilsingerR.L.Jr., AdourK.K.Ramsay Hunt facial paralysis: Clinical analysis of 185 patients. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg1986; 95: 292–7.
12.
DennisD.T.Lyme disease: Tracking an epidemic. JAMA1991; 266: 1269–70.
13.
PillsburyH.C.IIIFacial nerve manual: Pathophysiology of facial nerve disorders. Am J Otol1989; 10: 405–12.
14.
ClarkJ.R., CarlsonR.D., SasakiC.T.Facial paralysis in Lyme disease. Laryngoscope1985; 95: 1341–5.
15.
MayM.Facial paralysis, peripheral type: A proposed method of reporting. Laryngoscope1970; 80: 331–90.
16.
NestorJ.J., KorolH.W., NutikS.L.The incidence of acoustic neuromas. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg1988; 114: 680.
17.
GunnA., ParrottN.R.Parotid tumors: A review of parotid tumor surgery in the Northern Regional Health Authority of the United Kingdom 1978–1982. Br J Surg1988; 75: 1144–6.
18.
FalcoN.A., ErikssonE.Facial nerve palsy in the newborn: Incidence and outcome. Plast Reconstr Surg1990; 85: 1–4.
19.
MayM., FriaT.J., BlumenthalF.Facial paralysis in children: Differential diagnosis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg1981; 89: 841–8.
20.
SmithJ.D., CrumleyR.L., HarkerL.A.Facial paralysis in the newborn. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg1981; 89: 1021–4.
21.
United States National Center for Health Statistics.Births, Marriages, Divorces and Deaths for 1990.Washington, DC, Government Printing Office, 1991. (Monthly Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 39, No. 12, April 8, 1991).
22.
CannonC.R., JahrosdoerferR.A.Temporal bone fractures: Review of 90 cases. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg1983; 109: 285–8.
23.
CokerN.J.Management of traumatic injuries to the facial nerve. Otolaryngol Clin N Am1991; 24: 215–27.
24.
KamererD.B.Infratemporal facial nerve injuries. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg1982; 90: 612–15.
25.
United States National Center for Health Statistics.Detailed Diagnoses and Procedures, National Hospital Discharge Survey, 1988.Washington, DC, Government Printing Office, 1991. (Vital and Health Statistics Series 13, No. 107).
