[Treatment of Zoster oticus (author's transl)]

Conservative treatment of zoster oticus seems to be possible by promoting increased activity of the immunological system. The techniques to be applied were described by Mayr, Stickl and coworkers. These researchers used a special preparation of an attenuated virus. A transtemporal decompression of the facial nerve should be performed after Fisch and Esslen when more than 90% of the neurons of the facial nerve are lost. Signs of vestibular and cochlear damage are additional arguments for decompression surgery. A case is described in which one year after the onset of the disease necrosis of the facial nerve at the fundus of the internal auditory meatus and the beginning of the Fallopian canal (canalis facialis Fallopii) was seen and histologically proven. This was repaired by inserting a nerve graft. Motility of the face returned. An earlier decompression operation would most probably have prevented this course of the disease.