An evoked electromyographic test for peripheral facial palsy.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the degree of nerve degeneration in patients with facial palsy from the number of spikes in M-wave which were induced from the facial muscle by means of a bipolar concentric needle electrode when the facial nerve was stimulated. Ten normal cases between 14 and 72 years of age and 46 cases with facial palsy between 12 and 73 years of age were examined. Histopathological findings of ten denervated nerves were studied to determine to what extent this method may reflect the state of nerve degeneration.