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WMJ : Official Publication of the State... Dec 2022Bell's palsy is the most common cause of acute facial nerve paresis and paralysis with devastating disability yet high rate of spontaneous recovery. Patients who do not...
BACKGROUND
Bell's palsy is the most common cause of acute facial nerve paresis and paralysis with devastating disability yet high rate of spontaneous recovery. Patients who do not fully recover have functional disability that may require reconstructive surgery. The Clinical Practice Guideline: Bell's Palsy recommends treatment with high-dose steroids as it shows a higher likelihood of complete recovery. However, guideline adherence rates are inconsistent and unstudied.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the frequency at which hospital-based clinicians at the University of Wisconsin-Madison follow recommended clinical guidelines and prescribe high-dose steroid medication.
METHODS
Charts were reviewed from a single hospital (University Hospital) to evaluate Bell's palsy guideline adherence. All hospital-based encounters from 2008 through 2018 with primary diagnosis of Bell's palsy (ICD-9 351.0 and ICD-10 G51.0) were identified. Encounters were excluded if they had a diagnosis of Bell's palsy within 1 year prior (n=250) and did not have a medication list available (n=353). We examined patient demographics, common comorbidities, and any radiology and lab orders.
RESULTS
We identified 565 patients with a primary diagnosis of Bell's palsy with available medication lists; 77.70% received the recommended treatment. The patients' median age was 47 (interquartile range 34-59), 52.16% were male, and 82.46% were treated by emergency medicine clinicians. Other treating clinicians were hospital-based primary care, otolaryngology and plastic surgery, and others. Multivariate analysis showed that treating clinician specialty was the only significant positive predictor.
CONCLUSIONS
A significant portion of clinicians followed treatment guidelines for Bell's palsy. Further and larger research is needed to better identify points of intervention to improve guideline adherence.
Topics: Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Female; Bell Palsy; Facial Paralysis
PubMed: 36637837
DOI: No ID Found -
Lasers in Medical Science Mar 2023Laser acupuncture can be used to treat neurosensory alterations and motor disorders caused by dental treatments. This study aimed to review the existing literature on... (Review)
Review
Laser acupuncture can be used to treat neurosensory alterations and motor disorders caused by dental treatments. This study aimed to review the existing literature on the effects of laser acupuncture on neuropathies in the context of dentistry and to search for treatment modalities in which this technique is used. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines and the PICOS strategy. Randomized clinical trials that evaluated laser acupuncture as a primary intervention for facial neuropathy were included. We searched the database for relevant studies and manually searched the gray literature until April 2022, and finally included four studies. The study was considered eligible if it included patients with paresthesia, facial paralysis, or neuralgia, neuropathies within dentistry, and referred to the application of laser acupuncture as a treatment method. The risk of bias was assessed using the RoB 2 tool. It was observed that the recommended wavelengths ranged from 790 nm to 810 nm, with a frequency of at least two applications per week, and to a greater or lesser degree, all evaluated studies obtained an improvement in sensory or motor recovery of the facial nerves. The use of laser acupuncture presented itself as a viable alternative in dentistry for the treatment of paresthesia and facial paralysis due to its therapeutic potential in neuropathic treatment (CRD42022344339).
Topics: Humans; Bell Palsy; Facial Paralysis; Paresthesia; Acupuncture Therapy; Dentistry; Lasers
PubMed: 36964825
DOI: 10.1007/s10103-023-03754-w -
The American Journal of Emergency... Aug 2022Unilateral paralysis is an alarming symptom with broad differential diagnoses, including stroke, Todd's paralysis, myelopathy, and peripheral neuropathy. Hypokalemic... (Review)
Review
Unilateral paralysis is an alarming symptom with broad differential diagnoses, including stroke, Todd's paralysis, myelopathy, and peripheral neuropathy. Hypokalemic paralysis (HP), a neuromuscular disorder associated with muscle dysfunction, is caused by hypokalemia and manifests as symmetric proximal extremity muscle weakness. Unilateral paralysis has rarely been reported in the literature. Once hypokalemia is corrected, HP is usually reversible. Delayed diagnosis and treatment may result in fatal consequences. Here, we report an atypical case of unilateral weakness along with a review of the literature on unilateral HP.
Topics: Humans; Hypokalemia; Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis; Muscle Weakness; Paralysis; Stroke
PubMed: 35527097
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2022.04.042 -
Arquivos de Neuro-psiquiatria Jun 2022
Topics: Brachial Plexus Neuropathies; Clinical Competence; Humans; Internship and Residency; Military Personnel; Paralysis
PubMed: 35946714
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X-ANP-2021-0427 -
Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons... May 2022Transient or permanent damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) during thyroidectomy is of paramount importance for patient quality of life. The aim of this study... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Transient or permanent damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) during thyroidectomy is of paramount importance for patient quality of life. The aim of this study is to systematically review the literature concerning the role of the most popular energy-based vessel-sealing devices (LigaSure™ (LS) and Harmonic Scalpel (HS)) in preservation of the RLN during thyroidectomy. The safety and inferiority or superiority of LS and HS compared with conventional haemostatic techniques are highlighted.
METHODS
A systematic search of the literature was performed. Clinical trials, prospective and retrospective studies that significantly compared the use of LS and HS with conventional haemostasis regarding the postoperative incidence of RLN palsy were included.
FINDINGS
The search resulted in 43 studies, including 17,953 patients treated using energy-based devices or conventional haemostatic methods. Concerning the incidence of RLN palsy, 40 studies showed no significant difference between the energy-based device and conventional groups, whereas two studies demonstrated a significant superiority in performance for LS and HS compared with conventional haemostasis. Only one study exhibited significant inferiority of LS and HS compared with conventional methods. No statistical relationship was observed between energy-based devices and conventional techniques regarding permanent damage to the RLN.
CONCLUSION
The performance of both LS and HS shows no inferiority compared with conventional haemostatic techniques, regarding damage to the laryngeal nerve. Further well-designed studies are needed to investigate their potential benefit in preservation of the RLN.
Topics: Humans; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve; Retrospective Studies; Thyroidectomy; Vocal Cord Paralysis
PubMed: 34415202
DOI: 10.1308/rcsann.2021.0125 -
International Journal of Molecular... Dec 2021Acute peripheral facial palsy (APFP), including Bell's palsy and Ramsay Hunt syndrome, is a disease that affects daily life through facial motor dysfunction, causing... (Review)
Review
Acute peripheral facial palsy (APFP), including Bell's palsy and Ramsay Hunt syndrome, is a disease that affects daily life through facial motor dysfunction, causing psychological problems. Various tests to evaluate prognosis have been studied; however, there are no validated predictive biomarkers to guide clinical decision making. Therefore, specific biomarkers that respond to treatment are required to understand prognostic outcomes. In this review, we discuss existing literature regarding the role of APFP biomarkers in prognosis and recovery. We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for relevant papers. Our screening identified relevant studies and biomarkers correlating with the identification of predictive biomarkers. Only studies published between January 2000 and October 2021 were included. Our search identified 5835 abstracts, of which 35 were selected. All biomarker samples were obtained from blood and were used in the evaluation of disease severity and prognosis associated with recovery. These biomarkers have been effective prognostic or predictive factors under various conditions. Finally, we classified them into five categories. There is no consensus in the literature on the correlation between outcomes and prognostic factors for APFP. Furthermore, the correlation between hematologic laboratory values and APFP prognosis remains unclear. However, it is important to identify new methods for improving the accuracy of facial paralysis prognosis prediction. Therefore, we systematically evaluated prognostic and potentially predictive APFP biomarkers. Unfortunately, a predictive biomarker validating APFP prognosis remains unknown. More prospective studies are required to reveal and identify promising biomarkers providing accurate prognosis.
Topics: Acute Disease; Animals; Biomarkers; Facial Paralysis; Hemostasis; Humans; Oxidation-Reduction; Prognosis
PubMed: 35008742
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010307 -
Medical Science Monitor : International... Mar 2020Todd's paralysis, a neurological abnormality characterized by temporary limb weakness or hemiplegia, typically occurs following a seizure, without enduring consequences.... (Review)
Review
Todd's paralysis, a neurological abnormality characterized by temporary limb weakness or hemiplegia, typically occurs following a seizure, without enduring consequences. Since limb weakness or hemiplegia can also be a common symptom of an acute ischemic stroke, it is often difficult to diagnose Todd's paralysis in individuals experiencing an acute ischemic stroke if they do not have a pre-existing history of epilepsy. Given that there is a limited understanding of Todd's paralysis, this review discusses the history, prevalence, clinical manifestations, duration, etiology, and diagnosis of Todd's paralysis. A few factors that may help clinicians distinguish Todd's paralysis from other clinical indications are as follows: (1) Todd's paralysis is commonly observed after partial seizures or generalized tonic-clonic seizures. (2) The incidence of Todd's paralysis is greater if the epilepsy is associated with old age or stroke history. (3) The duration of Todd's paralysis can range from minutes to days, depending on the type of seizure or whether the patient has experienced cortical structural damage. (4) The etiology of Todd's paralysis is associated with cerebral perfusion abnormality after seizures. Further research is needed to explore factors that distinguish Todd's paralysis from other indications that may lead to limb weakness in order to improve the diagnosis of Todd's paralysis.
Topics: Epilepsy; Humans; Paralysis; Seizures; Stroke
PubMed: 32134903
DOI: 10.12659/MSM.920751 -
Journal of Neuroengineering and... Nov 2023Individuals with a locked-in state live with severe whole-body paralysis that limits their ability to communicate with family and loved ones. Recent advances in... (Review)
Review
Individuals with a locked-in state live with severe whole-body paralysis that limits their ability to communicate with family and loved ones. Recent advances in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology have presented a potential alternative for these people to communicate by detecting neural activity associated with attempted hand or speech movements and translating the decoded intended movements to a control signal for a computer. A technique that could potentially enrich the communication capacity of BCIs is functional electrical stimulation (FES) of paralyzed limbs and face to restore body and facial movements of paralyzed individuals, allowing to add body language and facial expression to communication BCI utterances. Here, we review the current state of the art of existing BCI and FES work in people with paralysis of body and face and propose that a combined BCI-FES approach, which has already proved successful in several applications in stroke and spinal cord injury, can provide a novel promising mode of communication for locked-in individuals.
Topics: Humans; Brain-Computer Interfaces; User-Computer Interface; Locked-In Syndrome; Paralysis; Electric Stimulation; Brain
PubMed: 37980536
DOI: 10.1186/s12984-023-01272-y -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2022Treatment of facial palsy is essential because neglecting this disorder can lead to serious sequelae and further damage. For an objective evaluation and consistent...
Treatment of facial palsy is essential because neglecting this disorder can lead to serious sequelae and further damage. For an objective evaluation and consistent rehabilitation training program of facial palsy patients, a clinician's evaluation must be simultaneously performed alongside quantitative evaluation. Recent research has evaluated facial palsy using 68 facial landmarks as features. However, facial palsy has numerous features, whereas existing studies use relatively few landmarks; moreover, they do not confirm the degree of improvement in the patient. In addition, as the face of a normal person is not perfectly symmetrical, it must be compared with previous images taken at a different time. Therefore, we introduce three methods to numerically approach measuring the degree of facial palsy after extracting 478 3D facial landmarks from 2D RGB images taken at different times. The proposed numerical approach performs registration to compare the same facial palsy patients at different times. We scale landmarks by performing scale matching before global registration. After scale matching, coarse registration is performed with global registration. Point-to-plane ICP is performed using the transformation matrix obtained from global registration as the initial matrix. After registration, the distance symmetry, angular symmetry, and amount of landmark movement are calculated for the left and right sides of the face. The degree of facial palsy at a certain point in time can be approached numerically and can be compared with the degree of palsy at other times. For the same facial expressions, the degree of facial palsy at different times can be measured through distance and angle symmetry. For different facial expressions, the simultaneous degree of facial palsy in the left and right sides can be compared through the amount of landmark movement. Through experiments, the proposed method was tested using the facial palsy patient database at different times. The experiments involved clinicians and confirmed that using the proposed numerical approach can help assess the progression of facial palsy.
Topics: Databases, Factual; Facial Paralysis; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Movement
PubMed: 36081094
DOI: 10.3390/s22176636 -
BMC Neurology Nov 2022SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is associated with an increased risk for Bell's palsy and some other neurological disorders assumed to be of autoimmune origin. While facial nerve...
BACKGROUND
SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is associated with an increased risk for Bell's palsy and some other neurological disorders assumed to be of autoimmune origin. While facial nerve palsy is frequent and usually idiopathic, hypoglossal nerve palsy is rare, and a specific cause is almost always found. We firstly report two patients who developed isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy shortly after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
CASE PRESENTATION
Two otherwise healthy patients, a 49-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman, developed unilateral hypoglossal nerve palsy 10 and 7 days after the second SARS-CoV-2-vaccination (AstraZeneca and BioNTech/Pfizer), respectively. In both subjects, needle electromyography showed denervation and rarefication of motor units. CT, MRI, examination of blood and CSF as well as ENT exam were unremarkable. In both subjects symptoms gradually improved.
CONCLUSION
Due to close temporal relationship, the absence of other etiologies, and spontaneous improvement we suspect the vaccination as the cause for hypoglossal nerve palsy in both patients. This is further supported by the rarity of isolated hypoglossal nerve palsies, especially in idiopathic cases. We suggest the addition of hypoglossal nerve palsy to the list of neurological injuries potentially caused by SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Bell Palsy; COVID-19; COVID-19 Vaccines; Facial Paralysis; Hypoglossal Nerve Diseases; SARS-CoV-2; Vaccination
PubMed: 36352369
DOI: 10.1186/s12883-022-02929-2