Facial Palsy Management

Facial Palsy Management
Richard Irving MD FRCS (ORL-HNS)

Face to face contact is fundamental to our social life, and any form of facial disfigurement impacts on the way in which we interact. Facial nerve paralysis is a devastating event even in its partial form, resulting in both a very evident deformity as well as functional problems of eyelid closure, oral continence and speech. Patients with facial nerve pathology should ideally be reviewed within a multidisciplinary setting, with access to investigative imaging, electrophysiology, specialised physiotherapy and psychological support, such that the decision-making process is most appropriate and outcomes optimised