The facial nerve - Current trends in diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation

Facial paralysis is a potentially devastating disorder with numerous implic ations. Multiple entities must be considered in its etiology, and recent ad vances in microbiology, radiographic imaging, electrodiagnostic testing, an d microsurgery have provided great insight into the pathophysiology, diagno sis, treatment, and rehabilitation of the facial nerve. Recent DNA FCR test ing has shed new insight into the potential cause for Bell's palsy. This ar ticle focuses on the evaluation, differential diagnosis, medical treatment, and rehabilitation of facial nerve pathology with primary emphasis on faci al paralysis. Surgical management is also discussed, including reanimation of the paralyzed face.