Effects of Early Administration of High Doses Steroid on Idiopathic Facial Palsy

Abstract

Stennert (1981) reported excellent cure rates (96%) for Bell's palsy treated with low-molecular dextran in combination with high doses of steroid to improve the microcirculation.
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of high doses steroid. Electrophysiological and histological studies were also done on guinea pigs.
To 36 patients with Bell's palsy who had complete facial paralysis, treatment was performed according to Stennert's protocol and the course of recovery and the ENoG values were monitored. ENoG values measured on consecutive days indicated that no patients had complete denervation. Recovery was complete in all but one patient.
In guinea pigs with facial palsy produced by compression of the facial nerve at the level of the stylomastoid foramen, the recovery process was analyzed from the changing patterns of electrophysiological and histological findings. The results proved that the administration of high doses of prednisolone prevented the progress of wallerian degeneration.