A rare cause of recurrent peripheral facial palsy

Recurrent peripheral facial palsy (PFP) is not uncommon and it is reported in 3 to 15% of idiopathic PFPs. Other etiologies include intracranial compressive tumors, parotid gland tumors or inflammation, recurrent otitis media, head trauma, multiple sclerosis, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, Lyme disease, HIV, and the rare Melkersson-Rosenthal Syndrome (MRS). The MRS is a non-necrotizing granulomatous disease characterized by PFP, lingua plicata and orofacial edema, even though the classic triad is reported in only from 20 to 30% of the patients1. We describe a patient with recurrent alternating PFP with MRS