Observations on 160 Patients with Peripheral Facial Paralysis Seen in Private Practice

Observations on 160 patients with peripheral facial paralysis are recorded. Of the 120 who had Bell's palsy 20 were treated with cromolyn sodium a mast cell degranulation inhibitor. Previous experimental work on the immunologic concept for Bell's palsy suggested that the triggering mechanism in Bell's palsy may be a massive mast cell degranulation within the fallopian canal. The successful control of the neural edema in a small number of patients appeared to warrant further trial with this agent.