Abstract
A 32-year-old male patient had bilateral facial palsy associated with chronic renal failure and repeated hemodialysis over ten years. He complained of left facial palsy of sudden onset on December 12, 1979. The palsy was diagnosed as Bell's palsy of slight degree. A week later, he noted right facial palsy. Electrodiagnostic examination indicated that the facial nerve had undergone progressive degeneration. However, surgical decompression of the facial nerve was not permitted because of severe anemia and bleeding tendency. The palsies were gradually alleviated and about 75% recovery was attained one year after the onset. About four months later, left palsy increased again. Three months thereafter, an intrameatal mass was found in the left ear and probe examination revealed an epidermoid carcinoma. It was concluded that chronic renal failure, hemodialysis and the intrameatal carcinoma were significantly related to the etiology and affected the clinical course of the facial palsies.
