Bell's palsy (BP) is the most common cause of unilateral lower motor facial palsy. Recurrent paralysis of the facial nerve is unusual and reported in only 7-8%.

A total of 394 consecutive patients with acute BP patients were enrolled at Daegu Catholic University Hospital from July 2005 to September 2012. We classified the patients into two groups-single BP and recurrent BP-and compared them by patient characteristics, clinical features, MRI findings, electrophysiologic findings and prognosis. The degree of BP was graded according to the House and Brackmann facial nerve grading system.

Recurrent BP was observed in 31 (7.9%) patients. The number of recurrence was varied from 2 to 5. The recurrent BP (9.7%) had more incidence of family history and MRI enhancement than those of single BP (2.2%, p =0.047). The single BP (63.4%) had better recovery than recurrent BP (45.2%, p =0.045).

The recurrent BP had more incidence of family history, MRI enhancement and poor prognosis than the single BP.