Steroid-Antiviral Treatment in Rehabilitation of Facial Palsy
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2014-11-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of antiviral medicine (acyclovir) in
recovery of complete facial Palsy. Fifty patients (Males and females) with acute Facial Palsy
within the first 3 days of onset with age ranged from 15-60 years old. Each patient was
submitted to the following clinical evaluation using House and Brackmann 6 facial function
scoring system and Synnybrook grading system. Neurophysiological assessment of facial nerve
and muscles was done before and after the end of treatment, then after the end of first and
second month of treatment. EMG was done for facial muscles of both sides beside measuring
facial nerve excitability to determine the excitation threshold by recording the minimum
electrical stimulus required to produce visible muscle contraction. A difference greater than
3.5 mA between the affected and unaffected side is considered significant in terms of poor
prognosis. Nerve conduction study of facial nerves of both sides using concentric needle
electrode. Trigeminal Blink reflex for both sides of the face. Facial functional recovery was
defined as "good" or "complete" using the same criteria used in the 2001 practice guideline.
An outcome of grade I or II was considered a good recovery using the House and Brackmann 6
facial function scoring system