[Diagnosis and treatment of Ramsay Hunt syndrome (a report of 39 cases)]

Thirty-nine cases with Ramsay Hunt syndrome were presented, in which 23 cases were firmly diagnosed early, and others were misdiagnosed to be Bell's palsy in 9 cases, sudden sensorineural hearing loss in 5, herpes zoster pharyngitis in 1 and acute suppurative otitis media in 1, respectively. All patients were treated with prednisone or dexamethasone for 3 weeks. The results of treatment were as follows: complete recovery in 27 cases, residual facial paralysis in 12 patients, in which 11 had sensorineural hearing loss. We concluded that: 1. When patients present idiopathic facial paralysis associated with objective sensorineural hearing loss, Hunt syndrome should be suspected even in the absence of vesicles. 2. Treatment with steroid and antiviral agent is needed. There is no significant difference in the effects between oral and intravenous steroid therapy. 3. The poor prognosis may relate with severe facial paralysis accompanying severe hearing loss. 4. Acoustic stapedius reflex in patients with mild or no hearing loss is useful for defining the involved sites and evaluating the prognosis.