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.