Electroneurography in the prognostication of Bell's palsy

Electroneurography with automatic signal analysis and EMG have been used in repeated examinations of 23 patients with Bell's palsy in order to evaluate the usefulness of electroneurography for prognostication. Electroneurographic data (amplitude and area asymmetry) discriminate between groups of patients recovering with different degrees of sequelae on day 4. Prognosis for recovery for the individual patient can be judged with relatively high accuracy on day 4 (70% of the patients). The method is well adaptable for automatic analysis for routine diagnostic practice, fast, reliable and gives useful clinical information at an early stage of the palsy. Different methods for facial nerve examination are reviewed in the article and the pathophysiology of nerve damage and recovery with different degree of nerve involvement is discussed.