Effects of Age on Delayed Facial Palsy After Otologic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Effects of Age on Delayed Facial Palsy After Otologic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Via otol rhinol Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2021 Oct 27:34894211053966. doi: 10.1177/00034894211053966. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES: To report 4 cases of delayed facial palsy (DFP) after pediatric middle ear (ME) surgery and systematically review and analyze the associated literature to evaluate the effects of age on DFP etiology, management, and prognosis. METHODS: Systematic review of PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase for articles related to DFP after cochlear implan tation (CI) was performed. These articles were assessed for level of evidence, methodological limitations, and number of cases. Meta-analysis was performed to assess the effects of age on DFP incidence. Furthermore, a comprehensive list of all pediatric DFP cases after otologic surgery was assembled through a multi-institutional retrospective review and systematic review of the literature. RESULTS: Twenty-nine articles fit the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The incidence of DFP after CI was 0.23% and 1.01% for pediatric and adult cases, respectively. This difference was statistically significant (P < .001, odds ratio 4.36). Twenty-three cases, adding to the 4 presented herein, were suitable for a comprehensive list. The mean age was 6.9 years. Average postoperative day of paresis onset was 5.4, with an average maximum House-Brackmann grade of 3.5. All patients obtained full facial recovery after an average of 23.5 days. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic review demonstrates that DFP after pediatric CI is rare and occurs at a significantly lower rate than in adults, further supporting the viral reactivation hypothesis of DFP. The prognosis for pediatric DFP after otologic surgery is excellent, with a high rate of full recovery in a short time frame. However, steroid administration can be considered. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IIa. PMID:34706584 | DOI:10.1177/00034894211053966 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.