[Prognostic value of electrodiagnosis of Bell's palsy]

Many papers report on a poor rate of complete restitution of Bell's palsy if signs of degeneration can be detected in neuromyography (NMG) or electromyography (EMG). In 119 patients who underwent infusion therapy (as developed by Stennert) 39% showed signs of degeneration in EMG or NMG. Complete restitution was achieved in 93% of these patients. Degeneration was more frequent in elderly patients (< 20 years: 20%, > 60 years: 55%). This did not affect the rate of complete restitution, which was constantly high for every age. If infusion therapy was started within 7 days after onset of the disease, no defects in restitution were observed, which was frequently so if therapy was started later. After one year the rate of complete restitution was about equal in cases with signs of degeneration (91%) and non-degenerative cases (94%). But 80% of the non-degenerative cases showed complete restitution within 3 months after onset of the palsy, whereas 80% of cases with signs of degeneration healed after this date (mean 6.1 months). After oral therapy with cortisol exclusively half of the degenerative cases did not attain complete restitution. After infusion therapy EMG and NMG do not answer the question if a Bell's palsy will heal completely or not but enable us to predict when this will probably be the case.