• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.25-28
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• 2012

Background: Bell's palsy is the most common disease of cranial nerve. While most electrodiagnostic tests can detect the abnormality of facial nerve several days later in Bell's palsy, blink reflex usually reveals the abnormality earlier than other tests. Therefore, we investigated the diagnostic usefulness of blink reflex in the early stage of Bell's palsy. Methods: We performed a prospective investigation in patients with facial palsy. We enrolled patients with Bell's palsy who were evaluated within 7 days of symptom onset and excluded patients with secondary causes of facial palsy. We analyzed the findings of blink reflex according to age, sex, evaluation time, and severity of facial palsy. Results: Of 320 consecutive patients with facial palsy, a total of 204 patients were enrolled. Blink reflex was normal for 10 patients and abnormal for 194 patients. The time interval between the symptom onset and the evaluation time was not associated with the result of blink reflex, but House-Brackmann grade was significantly related to the result of blink reflex (P<0.001). Patients with mild Bell's palsy often showed normal blink reflex. Conclusions: Our study shows that blink reflex is useful diagnostic test regardless of evaluation timing in the early stage of Bell's palsy, although it could be normal in patients with mild Bell's palsy.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.391-398
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• 2012

The conventional blink reflex has limited clinical application since it displays a wide range of change in the responses. Thus, we studied the blink reflex using the averaging process which is engaged in evoked potential studies in order to measure various responses such as latency, amplitude, and duration, which have been difficult to measure due to their wide ranges of changes. Among the Bell's palsy patient group, 13 patients who had the symptoms of incomplete palsy were examined to assess the results of the blink reflex through the averaging process. The subjects were 54 people in a normal group (108 eyes) and 18 patients (36 eyes) with Bell's palsy. For the study method, the conventional blink reflex and the blink reflex using the averaging process were measured for the people in the normal group, while in the Bell's palsy group, only the blink reflex using the averaging process was analyzed. In the case of the normal group, the blink reflex using the averaging process could measure all of the latency, amplitude, and duration. It was also observed that the latency, amplitude, and duration of R1, ipsilateral R2, and contralateral R2 significantly differed on the affected side of the Bell's palsy patients, compared to the unaffected side. The blink reflex using the averaging process should be more effective than the conventional method since the former can evaluate the latency, amplitude, and duration for Bell's palsy, while the latter can only assess latency.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.559-566
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• 2020

Background Infraorbital nerve dysfunction is commonly reported after zygomaticomaxillary complex fractures. We evaluated sensory changes in four designated areas (eyelid, nose, zygoma, and lip) innervated by the infraorbital nerve. This evaluation was conducted using the static two-point discrimination test and the vibration threshold test. We assessed the diagnostic significance of the blink reflex in patients with infraorbital nerve dysfunction. Methods This study included 18 patients, all of whom complained of some degree of infraorbital nerve dysfunction preoperatively. A visual analog scale, the infraorbital blink reflex, static two-point discrimination, and the vibration threshold were assessed preoperatively, at 1 month postoperatively (T1), and at a final follow-up that took place at least 4 months postoperatively (T4). The results were analyzed using a multilevel generalized linear mixed model. Results Scores on the visual analog scale significantly improved at T1 and T4. The infraorbital blink reflex significantly improved at T4. Visual analog scale scores improved more rapidly than the infraorbital blink reflex. Two-point discrimination significantly improved in all areas at T4, and the vibration perception threshold significantly improved in the eyelid at T4. Conclusions Recovery of the infraorbital blink reflex reflected the recovery of infraorbital nerve dysfunction. We also determined that the lip tended to recover later than the other areas innervated by the infraorbital nerve.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.779-782
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• 2010

Purpose: As the evaluation of the preoperative sensibility in the orbitozygomatic complex fracture, used by most surgeons, depends on the patient's subjective judgements, it is difficult to make generalization and to use it as an objective evaluation method. We used the blink reflex study to objectively evaluate injury to the infraorbital nerve. Methods: From December 2008 to November 2009, a total of 16 patients underwent the patient's subjective report on sensory symptoms and the blink reflex study preoperatively. Among patients having orbitozygomatic complex fracture of type III or more according to Henderson's classification and simultaneously suspected as being injured along the infraorbital nerve pathway, patients who had difficulty in checking preoperative sensibility and said 'normal sensibility' were selected as candidates. Results: Fifteen patients showed abnormal R1 on the fracture side. These results suggested that most of patients had injury to the infraorbital nerve. Conclusion: Contrary to the existing tests, the blink reflex study is a useful diagnostic tool in reflecting injury to the infraorbital nerve objectively.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.121-131
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• 2014

Objectives : This study was performed to find the relation between prognosis of peripheral facial palsy and blink reflex. Methods : Data was collected from patients who were admitted and treated by East-West Collaborative Treatment of Facial Palsy Center in Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong from January 2012 to June 2013. Patients were screened by inclusion/exclusion criteria and 163 patients' medical records were reviewed including blink reflex performed $14{\pm}2$ days after onset and House-Brackmann grade. Patients were divided into three groups, normal, delayed and absent group by blink reflex test. Trends of each recovery rate to House-Brackmann grade II and I depending on three group were analyzed at 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after onset using Linear by linear association. Results : At 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after onset, both recovery rate to House-Brackmann grade II and I had a tendency to be decreased statistically significantly in order of normal, delayed and absent group. Conclusions : We could find feasibility of blink reflex as a prognostic factor of peripheral facial palsy. Further study will be necessary.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.72-85
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• 2004

We have few assessment tool in physical therapy. Recently, there is increasingly a concern of electrophysiologic examinations. They includes electomyography; needle and surface, evoked potentials; somatosensory evoked potentials; brainstem auditory evoked potentials; visual evoked potentials, nerve conduction velocity, blink reflex, H-reflex, and F-wave. The purpose of this study is understanding of electrophysiologic examinations. So we hope many physical therapist to use electrophysiologic examinations in research.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.156-159
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• 2001

Miller Fisher syndrome(MFS) has been the focus of conflicting opinions regarding the peripheral versus the central nature of the site of major neural injury. We present our electrophysiological findings in one case of MFS to help clarify the pattern of peripheral nerve injury in this syndrome. A 45-year-old man visited our hospital due to sudden diplopia. Initial examination revealed internuclear opthalmoplegia. The next day, his symptoms rapidly aggravated to complete external ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and areflexia with hand and foot numbness. Serial electrophysiological studies were performed. The results of brainstem evoked potential(BAEP) and blink reflex were normal in the serial studies. Motor and sensory nerve conduction study(NCS) were normal findings in second hospital day, but ulnar sensory nerve shows no sensory nerve action potential(SNAP) and sural sensory conduction velocity was delayed in 7th hospital day. Our patient's clinical presentation began to improve on 15th hospital day, and his electrophysiologic study showed improvement on 29th hospital day. We believe that all the manifestations of MFS can be explained by the involvement of peripheral nerves without brainstem or cerebellar lesion with the serial electrophysiological studies.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 2017

A 25-years-old woman with mandibular prognathism underwent a mandibular setback by way of mandibular sagittal split ramus osteotomy (MSSRO). After 2 days of operation, she developed difficulty of closing her right eye. The blink reflex test and motor nerve conduction study of the right orbicularis oris muscle were revealed right facial neuropathy of unknown origin and House-Brackmann facial nerve grading system (HBFNGS) grade V. For treatment, we initially prescribed oral prednisolone and nimodipine including physical therapy. The samples consisted of 11 facial nerve palsy patients caused by MSSRO and were analysed about onset of facial nerve palsy, postoperative HBFNGS, final HBFNGS, treatment method and recovery time. At 10 weeks of treatment of nimodipine, she had completely regained normal function (HBFNGS grade I) of the right facial nerve. The clinical results lead to assume a fast recovery of facial nerve function by the nimodipine medication, whereas average time of recovery is 16.32 weeks in references. Despite of the limited one patient treated, the result was very promising with respect to a faster recovery of the facial nerve function. Considering the use of nimodipine treatment for peripheral facial nerve palsy following a surgical approach with an anatomically preserved nerve can be recommended.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 2001

Background : Bell's palsy(BP) is defined as an idiopathic peripheral facial paralysis of sudden onset and account more than 50% of facial paralysis. It's etiology is unclear, but herpes simplex virus type-1(HSV-1) has been the most suspicious causative agent of BP that ever been studied. We evaluated the effect of add-on acyclovir in acute stage of BP. Methods : Subject consisted of 35 patients who developed acute idiopathic unilateral facial nerve palsy(16 men and 19 women with age 9-78 years old). The treatments were started within 10 days after onset of BP. Facial nerve function was assessed by the House-Brackman facial nerve grading scale and facial nerve conduction study including blink reflex. Follow-up evaluation were made 2 month after onset. Twenty of 35 patients were treated with combined therapy of acyclovir and prednisone. As a control group, 15 patients were treated with prednisone only. We compared the improvement of neurologic defects at recovery phase. Results : Compared with two groups, difference in grading scale at recovery phase is statistically significant(p<0.01). So, acyclovir-prednisone group showed a significant improvement in grading scale at recovery phase compared with prednisone group. Conclusion : We identified the benefits of add-on acyclovir in the acute stage of BP.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 2007

Background: Bell's palsy (BP) is a self-limited rapid onset facial palsy that is non-life-threatening and has a generally favorable prognosis. Facial paralysis can be caused by numerous conditions, all of which should be excluded before the diagnosis of BP is reached. The etiopathogenesis and clinical course of BP are uncertain. So we analyzed the epidemiology and clinical course of BP patients. Methods: The subjects include 100 cases of BP examined during the period of 18 months. Careful clinical history, neurologic examinations, laboratory tests, electrophysiologic studies, and brain imaging were performed. Follow-up examinations were done once a week during the first month and subsequently once a month until normal function was restored or for up to 3 months. Facial nerve function was assessed by House-Brackman (HB) facial nerve grading scale and electrophysiologic studies. Results: Except 13 recurrent BP patients, we analyzed 87 BP patients. Forty-four (50.6%) were men and 43(49.4%) were women and the mean age was 51.0(${\pm}16.6$) years. Three (3.4%) patients showed a familial tendency. The initial examination within 1 week after attack revealed 35.2% was below HB grade 4 and 64.8% was above grade 3. The associated symptoms are as follows; postauricular pain, increase tear flow, taste change, hyperacusis and drooling. The initial facial nerve conduction study and blink reflex within 1 week after attack showed abnormal findings in 12.6% and 100%, respectively. Brain MRI was performed in 59(67.8%) patients and showed abnormal enhancement of affected nerve in 57(96.6%). Follow-up examination showed that 78.2% of the patients partially improved within 4 weeks and completely improved within 3 months. Finally 80.5% of the total patients obtained normal function in 3 months. Conclusions: We report epidemiologic, clinical, electrophysiologic and radiologic characteristics of BP patients.