Facial diplegia: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic evaluation

Abstract

Objective: Facial diplegia (FD) is a rare neurological manifestation with diverse causes. This article aims to systematically evaluate the etiology, diagnostic evaluation and treatment of FD. Method: The study was performed retrospectively and included 17 patients with a diagnosis of FD. Results: Patients were diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) (11), Bickerstaff’s brainstem encephalitis (1), neurosarcoidosis (1), non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (1), tuberculous meningitis (1) herpes simplex reactivation (1) and idiopathic (1). In addition, two patients had developed FD during pregnancy. Conclusion: Facial diplegia is an ominous symptom with widely varying causes that requires careful investigation.