A case of congenital unilateral facial nerve aplasia

Abstract

The most frequent cause of unilateral congenital facial paralysis is birth injury, and this injury recovers completely within several weeks. On the other hand, congenital facial paralysis due to facial nerve aplasia is irreversible. After a normal pregnancy and a smooth cesarean section, a 2-month-old girl presented with left facial paralysis. Grading of her facial paralysis was House–Brackmann Grade V and Sunnybrook Grading Score 9. She was diagnosed with complete congenital unilateral facial paralysis. The facial nerve aplasia diagnosis was observed with magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. Three-dimensional constructive interference in steady state magnetic resonance imaging and high-resolution computed tomography scanning are very useful for diagnosing congenital facial paralysis due to anatomic anomalies. Facial nerve aplasia has been considered a very rare condition, but it is likely a more frequent diagnosis in cases with irreversible congenital facial paralysis.