[Therapeutic indications in facial paralysis of the newborn infant. Apropos of 9 cases].

Neither clinical examination nor electrical or radiological investigations were able to predict, pre-operatively, the malformatory or traumatic etiology in 9 cases of neonatal facial paralysis. Surgical exploration demonstrated that the paralysis was due to trauma in 3 cases and to malformations in the other 6. Exploration of the intrapetrous portion of the facial nerve in these 9 cases was not satisfactory, as in 6 patients nerve agencies was detected. Simultaneous investigation of the parotid region in 5 of these 6 infants demonstrated absence of the intraparotid part of the facial nerve. When confronted with a spontaneously non-regressive facial paralysis in a neonate, and when doubt persists after radiological and electrical examinations, the intraparotid portion of the facial nerve should be explored in the stylomastoid region. Its absence suggests agenesis of the nerve, and makes intramastoid exploration of no value.