Atuação fonoaudiológica em um caso de paralisia facial periférica de origem traumática

Abstract

Introduction: Peripheral facial paralysis of traumatic origin is mainly due to motorcycle accidents, which cause damage both in facial expression and in the stomatognathic system. Thus, the speech therapist can intervene in the functional and aesthetic aspects of the face through myofunctional rehabilitation, in order to minimize the alterations found, providing a better functioning of the same. Objective: to describe the contribution of orofacial myofunctional therapy in patients with peripheral facial paralysis due to facial traumatism. Case report and method: It is a case report of a 53-year-old male patient attending the Clinic School of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, a victim of motorcycle accident, complaining of numbness on the right side of the face. Based on Chevalier (1987), a speech-language evaluation was performed using the evaluation protocol for face trauma, based on Bianchini and Parolo (2010), and on the functional muscular evaluation protocol for facial paralysis. The therapy was performed 1x per week, lasting 60 minutes for a period of 4 weeks. Results: It was concluded that the patient presented flaccidity in the middle third of the face, on the right side, with loss of sensitivity in the upper lip and zygomatic region. Four sessions were performed and a good result can be observed in facial asymmetry and improvement in masticatory function. Conclusion: With the treatment protocol, it was possible to achieve a good result, even being a peripheral facial paralysis of traumatic origin, a reduction of facial asymmetry was observed with the improvement of the fibrosis and an improvement in the masticatory function.