Materials and methods
We analyzed 253 consecutive patients with FNP treated in our department in the last 5 years. The STROBE guidelines has been followed. The subject of the study were patients with Bell’s paresis who were evaluated in detail. We reassessed all cases with permanent FNP and extended the diagnostics to exclude organic, infectious and autoimmunological cause of the disease. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head and neck, laboratory tests for HIV infection, Lyme disease, autoimmune disorders including Sjogren’s syndrome (if not available or already performed) were ordered. We describe four under-diagnosed patients with permanent FNP and malignancies found out in MRI and point out all deficiencies and shortcomings in their diagnostic process. Descriptive statistics was used to evaluate the study group. We also present a proposal of diagnostic algorithm for patients with irreversible FNP.
The study was approved by an institutional ethics committee (KB-175/20). All patients provided written informed consent to participate in the study.