Auditory Brain Stem Evoked Potentials in Idiopathic peripheral facial paralysis

Aim: Facial nerve is the only one cranial nerve that passes through a narrowlong bone canal before leaving the cranium and innervates the muscles of facial expression. İdiopathic facial paralysis (IPFP) most often unilateral acute paralysis and the etiology of the diasease is controversial. Ischemia or demyelination of the nerve because of latent viral infections in the geniculate ganglion. Some authors have suggested that Bell s palsy should be considered a part of an acute polyneuropathy or mononeuritis multiplex. The studies and the results are yet controversial. Methods: This study was done for analyse the hypotesis of central nerve involvement of the disease. From February 1994 to August 1995, 17 female and 13 male patients diagnosed IPFP and the control group: 22 female and 8 male patients diagnosed tension headache at Ankara University Medical Faculty were investigated in this work.Values of odyometri and stapes reflex results are compared using the Chi-squared table analysis. Results: In audiometric study, there was no statistical evidence between the paralytic and nonparalytic sides in IPFP group (p 0.05) but between IPFP and control group results were statistically different (p 0.05). The auditory brainstem evoked potentials (BAEP) wave lathans and amplitude values from paralytic and nonparalytic sides are compared using the Studentt Test. There was no statistical evidence (p 0.05) that the paralytic and nonparalytic sides are different for wave lathans. On the other hand, paralytic side N4 latans averages and N4 latans averages of the right ears of the control group are statistically different (p 0.05). Conclusion: All these findings might indicate that bilateral facial nucleus or fasial nerve lesion located at pons.