Abstract
Varicella-zoster virus causes facial and vestibular nerve paralysis (Ramsay-Hunt syndrome). This syndrome sometimes affects other cranial nerves. We report a case of Ramsay-Hunt syndrome with cranial polyneuropathy. The patient was a 79-year-old male who complained of left facial palsy, sore throat, shoulder muscle weakness, tongue deviation, and dysphagia. There were painful eruptions on the right ear. He was diagnosed Ramsay-Hunt syndrome with cranial polyneuropathy (9th, 10th, 11th, 12th) and treated with nerve block therapy, intravenous acyclovir, and steroids. The symptoms were severe. His facial palsy and dysphagia were not improved, and he frequently suffered from aspiration pneumonitis. It is important to observe other cranial nerve signs, in addition to the 7th and 8th cranial nerves, and to treat them carefully.
