Abstract Introduction Surface electromyographic activity may not be symmetric, even in subjects with no facial paralysis history. Objective To evaluate the contribution of the index of electromyographic (IEMG) activity in the identification of the two extremes of the facial paralysis course. Methods Thirty-four subjects with unilateral peripheral facial paralysis were selected. A control group was composed of volunteers without a history of facial paralysis. The electromyographic assessment of the facial muscle was performed by placing surface electrodes during movements of the forehead, eyes and lips using MIOTEC equipment, such as the MIOTOOL (Miotec, Porto Alegre, Brazil) software. The electromyographic activity was also recorded in other channels during the primary activity to identify the presence of synkinesis. The statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Macintosh (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). The IEMG activity was obtained from the division of the electromyographic activity root mean square (RMS) values on both sides. Results There was a statistically significant difference among the groups in all the analyzed indexes. The ocular-oral synkinesis in all patients must be correctly identified (with 100% sensitivity and specificity) using an IEMG activity of 1.62 as a cutoff point. The oral-ocular synkinesis must be correctly identified (93.3% sensitivity and 95.9% specificity) using the IEMG activity of 1.79 as a cutoff point. Conclusion The IEMG activity is below the normal scores in patients in the flaccid stage, whereas patients in the sequelae stage can either show normal values or values above or below the normal scores. The IEMG activity was shown to have high sensitivity and specificity in the identification of synkinesis.

TEMA: mímica facial na paralisia facial ocasionada por trauma de face. PROCEDIMENTOS: estudo de caso da mímica facial de um paciente com paralisia facial periférica no lado direito com sequelas decorrente de trauma por projétil de arma de fogo, adulto jovem do sexo masculino, comerciante autônomo. Foi realizada análise documental e fotográfica por meio de anamnese, avaliação e escala de graduação de da paralisia facial House e Brackmann. RESULTADOS: na avaliação da paralisia facial em repouso encontrou-se no lado direito (lesado): desvio de comissura labial, desvio de filtro, narina mais elevada e olho mais aberto. Em movimento, ainda no lado da lesão, observou-se: abolição de rugas frontais, incompetência no fechamento ocular natural e fechamento completo ao forçar, ausência de elevação de narina, rima naso-labial mais pronunciada, protrusão labial desviada para este lado, pouca retração labial, eversão de lábio inferior, comissura labial elevada, desvio de filtro, reduzida capacidade de inflar bochechas. O paciente apresentou sincinesia de olho/lábios e contratura com hipertonia de frontal, prócero, levantador da asa do nariz, risório, zigomático maior, zigomático menor, levantador do lábio superior, depressor do lábio inferior, mentual no lado da lesão e a fratura ocorreu em côndilo direito e o paciente referiu dor orofacial ao dormir e ao mastigar no lado comprometido. CONCLUSÃO: a lesão do nervo facial associada ao trauma de face provocou a alteração da mímica facial no lado direito o que gerou desfiguramento e distúrbios da mastigação.

BACKGROUND: facial mimicry in the paralysis of the face that occurs because of a trauma in the face. PROCEDURES: case study of facial mimicry of a patient with peripheral facial paralysis, on the right side of the face, with sequels that happened because of a trauma because of a fire gun projectile; a young man, a self-employed trader. A documental and photographical analysis was held through the anamnesis and graduation scale of House and Brackmann's facial paralysis. RESULTS: in the evaluation of the facial paralysis, in a resting state, we found on the right side (the injured one): diversion of lip commissure, diversion of the filter, more elevated nostril and more open eye. In movement, yet on the side of the injury, it was observed: elimination of frontal wrinkles , incompetence in the ocular closure and in the complete closure , absence of elevation of the nostril , a more pronounced nasolip rhyme, lip protrusion diverged to this side , little lip retraction , destruction of the inferior lip , elevated lip commissure , diversion of the filter, reduced capacity of inflating the cheeks. The patient presented synkinesia of eyes / lips and contraction with hypertonia of frontal, procerus, lifter of the nose's wing, risorius, higher zygomatic, lower zygomatic, lifter of superior lip, depressive of inferior lip, mentalis on the side of the lesion and the fracture happened on the right condyle and the patient reported orofacial pain when sleeping and chewing on the injured side. CONCLUSION: the lesion of the facial nerve that was associated with the face trauma provoked the alteration of the facial mimicry on the right side and generated disfiguration and disturbances in the chewing act.

OBJETIVO: estudar a atividade eletromiográfica dos músculos frontal, orbicular dos olhos, zigomáticos, orbicular da boca em indivíduos normais e pacientes portadores de paralisia facial e o índice de simetria entre os dois lados da face. MÉTODOS: foram avaliados por meio da eletromiografia de superfície, seis indivíduos sem histórico de alteração na musculatura facial e seis pacientes com paralisia facial periférica. Para a avaliação eletromiográfica foram solicitados os seguintes movimentos (ao esforço máximo): elevação da testa, fechamento de olhos, protrusão labial e retração labial. RESULTADOS: encontrou-se que em indivíduos normais a média dos potenciais eletromiográficos para ambos os lados da face é semelhante, demonstrando que a integridade do nervo facial é fundamental para o equilíbrio da mímica facial. Nos pacientes com paralisia facial a média dos potenciais eletromiográficos para ambos os lados da face é significativamente diferente (evidenciando a falta de inervação neural). CONCLUSÃO: os resultados eletromiográficos mostraram diferença estatisticamente significante entres os dois lados da face nos indivíduos normais e nos pacientes com paralisia facial.

PURPOSE: to study the surface electromyographic activity of frontal, orbicular occuli, orbicular oris and zigomatycs muscles in normal subjects and in peripheral facial paralysis patients. METHODS: six volunteers with no facial paralysis history as well as six peripheral facial paralysis patients were evaluated with electromyography using superficial electrodes. Maximum effort muscle activity and symmetry index were measured for the voluntary movements such as: raising eyebrows, eyes closing, smiling, puckering lips. RESULTS: it was found out that in normal subjects the muscle activity values were similar between the two sides of the face, showing that the facial nerve integrity is fundamental to the balance of facial mimics. In facial paralysis patients, the mean electromyographic values for both sides of the face were significantly different (evidencing the lack of facial nerve information to the muscles). CONCLUSION: the electromyographic results showed a statistically significant difference between the two sides of the face in the normal subjects and in facial paralysis patients.