Facial nerve palsy in parotid infection- A benign deviance from the malignant norm

Abstract

Parotid swellings presenting with facial nerve palsy usually imply that the swelling is malignant in nature. In rare cases, it has been reported to have occurred in the setting of benign parotid swellings and parotid abscesses. Our case is one of bilateral parotid abscesses in a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction negative, CORADS five patients, with left-sided lower motor neuron type of facial nerve palsy with near-total recovery of the facial nerve palsy after resolution of abscess. The likely mechanisms behind the development of facial nerve palsy in case of parotid abscess include perineuritis, ischemia, and direct virulence of the pathogen. Furthermore, coronavirus has a propensity for affecting salivary glands, and parotitis could be an atypical presentation of the COVID 19. In most cases, as in ours, there has been improvement of facial nerve palsy with resolution of the abscess after combined conservative, surgical, and supportive treatment.

Keywords

• facial nerve palsy
• benign
• parotid abscess