Targeted Surgical Decompression Reduces the Morbidity of Recurrent Inflammatory Facial Nerve Palsy.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical outcomes following facial nerve decompression for recurrent facial nerve weakness. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Quaternary referral centre. PATIENTS: Patients who underwent elective surgical decompression of the facial nerve for recurrent paralysis. INTERVENTIONS: Retrospective observational study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Days per year with facial nerve weakness. RESULTS: Sixteen of 17 decompressed nerves derived benefit, with mean facial nerve weakness reduced from 56 days/year to 4 days/year. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery is a reasonable option, with high success rates, for selected cases with evidence of facial motor dysfunction and 3 or more episodes of ipsilateral facial nerve weakness secondary to recurrent idiopathic Bell's palsy or Melkersson Rosenthal syndrome.