[Conservative treatment of Hunt syndrome]

Based on the pathophysiology of Bell's palsy that edema as well as ischemia lead to both compression and hypoxia, Stennert employed high doses of cortisone and dextran and reported a high recovery rate. In the past 5 years, we have been treating patients with Bell's palsy and Hunt syndrome with a high dose of steroids or low-molecular dextran (SD therapy). SD therapy was administrated in 71 cases of Hunt syndrome, and the results were compared with those of a group of 36 patients who had been treated with orally administrated low-dose steroids. All patients with incomplete palsies recovered completely, regardless of the mode of treatment. In cases of complete palsy, 62% of patients recovered completely when treated with SD therapy. In contrast, 29% of the patients treated with orally administrated steroids recovered completely. These results indicate that for patients with complete palsy SD therapy is more effective than oral steroid therapy, while patients with incomplete palsy recover completely with oral steroids. On the basis of this study, oral steroids are best used in cases of incomplete palsy unless complete palsy develops. In these latter cases, we now believe that SD therapy should be started immediately.