Abstract
Since January of 2006, we have been administering high dose steroids therapy (the initial dose : of 200mg predonizolone) for patients with complete peripheral facial nerve palsy. In this study, the efficacy of high dose steroid therapy was compared with the cure rate of the patient group treated with the conservative dose of steroids therapy. Of the 20 patients with complete peripheral facial nerve palsy admitted after January 2006, 14 patients (70.0%) experienced a complete recovery. There were no statistically significant differences in the cure rates between the patients treated with high dose steroid therapy and the patient group treated with the conservative therapy before January 2006. Our data suggested that the cure rate of peripheral facial nerve palsy was affected by the initial degree of the palsy. However, further study is needed to elucidate the efficacy of high dose steroid therapy, since the treatment of peripheral facial nerve palsy still remains controversial.
