Facial Paralysis Following Temporal Bone Trauma: Current Clinical Perspectives on Diagnosis and Management

Facial paralysis is a significant complication of temporal bone trauma that requires prompt diagnosis and appropriate management. Clinical assessment should distinguish immediate from delayed-onset paralysis, as this distinction influences treatment decisions and prognosis. High-resolution computed tomography is essential for evaluating fracture patterns and facial nerve canal involvement, while serial facial nerve assessment and electrophysiological tests may provide valuable prognostic information. Although treatment strategies remain individualized, conservative management is generally appropriate for delayed or incomplete paralysis, whereas surgical decompression may be considered in selected cases of immediate complete paralysis with unfavorable prognostic findings. Careful patient selection and appropriate timing of intervention are essential to optimize functional recovery.