Abstract
Using a medical infrared ray camera (thermography), we investigated the temperature of the facial skin of 15 healthy subjects and 154 patients with peripheral facial nerve palsy and the following results were obtained.
1) In the healthy subjects, we could scarcely observe a difference in the skin temperature between both sides of their faces.
2) In the patients with peripheral facial nerve palsy, we did not recognize a clear interrelation between the degree of palsy and the thermogram or between the days elapsed after the onset and the thermogram.
3) In the patients of a good prognosis in the 2nd week after their onset we observed elevation of the skin temperature in their buccal and orbicularis oris regions.
4) Further investigation on the criteria of the facial thermogram and the usefulness of the thermography to facial nerve palsy is necessary.
