A Rare Guillain Barre Syndrome Variant:  Facial Diplegia Paresthesia

Emel Oguz Akarsu; Destina Yalçın; Reyhan Sürmeli; Ahmet Demir; Gülin Sünter; Yunus Diler

doi:10.4274/tnd.70456

Emel Oguz Akarsu¹, Destina Yalçın², Reyhan Sürmeli², Ahmet Demir², Gülin Sünter², Yunus Diler²

¹Ersin Aslan State Hospital, Neurology Department, Gaziantep
²Umraniye Training And Research Hospital, Neurology Department, Istanbul

Keywords: Guillain-Barre Syndrome, facial diplegia with paresthesia, pregnancy, treatment

Abstract

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune polyneuropathy syndrome with acute onset, characterized with ascending muscle weakness and areflexia. Many rare variants of GBS have been defined. Patients with facial diplegia and paresthesia in extremities are classified as a localised GBS variant and called facial diplegia with paresthesia (FPD). Muscle weakness is either absent or insignificant in these patients. Atypical presentations with preserved, and at times, brisk reflexes, can be a diagnostic dilemma. Treatment in mild cases is also controversial. We describe a female pregnant patient with preserved reflexes, diagnosed facial diplegia with paresthesia, based on clinical and electrophysiological features and try to highlight the treatment options of this rare variant, particularly during pregnancy.