Profile of Patients with Facial Nerve Palsy Referred to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit at Lagos University Teaching Hospital

Facial nerve palsy (FNP) may arise from diverse etiologies including Bell's palsy, parotid gland pathology, trauma, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, and iatrogenic injury, and its management often intersects with oral and maxillofacial surgery practice. A comprehensive profile of patients presenting with FNP to a Nigerian tertiary center has not been previously described. This retrospective descriptive study examines the demographic profile, etiological distribution, referral source, and management of patients with FNP attending the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery unit at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), South West Nigeria, from 2020 to 2024. Clinical records of 68 patients were reviewed. Data include age, sex, side of palsy, House-Brackmann grade, etiology, associated conditions, treatment modalities, and outcome at three months. Results indicate that Bell's palsy was the most frequently diagnosed etiology, constituting 47.1% of cases, followed by parotid gland malignancies at 20.6% and post-traumatic palsy at 17.6%. Iatrogenic palsy following parotid surgery accounted for 8.8% of cases. Most patients presented in the acute phase and were managed with systemic corticosteroids and physiotherapy. Patients with tumor-related palsy had the poorest prognosis. The study underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach to FNP management and recommends closer collaboration between oral surgery, neurology, and ophthalmology units. Keywords: facial nerve palsy, Bell's palsy, parotid gland, LUTH, Lagos.