Unilateral Facial Palsy at High Altitude: A Case Report

Poudel Sangeeta, Bibechan Thapa, Saroj Adhikari Yadav, and Brenton Systermans. Unilateral facial palsy at high altitude: a case report. High Alt Med Biol. 22:426-428, 2021.-The facial nerve has a long and tortuous route predisposing it to palsy or paresis. Bell's palsy is the most common cause of facial nerve palsy. Most often Bell's palsy is self-limited but it is very crucial to rule out other causes and provide prompt treatment accordingly. Some causes of facial palsy that are specific to high altitude include hypoxia, cold weather, vitamin D deficiency, and high-altitude cerebral edema. Health facilities and diagnostic tools are compromised in resource-limited settings such as at high altitudes. This leads to a diagnostic dilemma, possibly delaying targeted treatment, and resulting in poorer outcomes. Clinical diagnosis plays an important role in such settings. The immediate descent and initiation of steroids improve the condition in many cases. In this article, we discuss the case of a Sherpa who presented to the Everest emergency clinic during the 2021 climbing season with unilateral facial palsy.