Abstract
During last fifteen years, about 1700 patients with facial palsies were treated at our clinic. Among those, there were two cases with bilateral palsies of otitic origin ocurred simultaneously. In the first patient, one-year-eleven-month old boy, the electrodiagnostic examinations showed the signs of pronounced denervation of bilateral facial nerves ten days after the onset of the palsies. Mastoidectomy and decompression of the facial nerve were performed on both ears and normal facial movements were restored in a year. In the second patient, four-year-eight-month old boy, the left facial palsy improved by a myringotomy performed on eighth diseased day. The right facial nerve showing severe denervation needed decompression. Normal facial movements were restored six months after the operations. In three decompressed facial nerves, the inflammation extended into the perineural tissue through a dehiscence or a paper thin bony wall of the facial canal in the tympanic segment. This perineuritis caused a marked edematous swelling of the nerve leading to the facial palsy.
