Four cases suffering from peripheral facial nerve palsy accompanied by otitis media

We reported four patients with facial palsy who had otitis media at the onset of the palsy. In general, diagnosis of the exact cause of facial palsy in otitis media patients at the onset of palsy can be complicated. The following findings during surgery were elucidating for this purpose: bony defect of the facial canal, where the facial nerve showed reddening and a swelling and where middle ear mucosa demonstrated an inflammatory changes. The presense of these findings suggested that otitis media was involved in the pathogenesis of facial palsy.