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Bilateral peripheric facial nerve palsy in acute linfoid leukemia: a case report

The facial mimic is very important to the human expression and communication, which depend on the integrity of the facial nerve. So, the peripheric facial palsy (PFP) can leave esthetics, functional and psychological sequelae. The more common etiology is Bell's palsy (50 to 80%) and most of the patients show a unilateral manifestation. The simultaneous bilateral PFP is rare, and the leukemia is the neoplasia that can often that kind of manifestation. We present a clinical case of an 18-year-old patient with acute lymphoid leukemia and simultaneous bilateral facial palsy, who did not recover after the chemotherapy treatment, and died five months after the initial manifestation of the facial palsy. Important considerations were accomplished about the physiopathology of PFP in acute lymphoid leukemia, besides literature review.

leukemia; facial nerve; palsy


ABORL-CCF Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial Av. Indianápolis, 740, 04062-001 São Paulo SP - Brazil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 5052-9515 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
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