Facial Palsy in Post COVID-19 Invasive Fungal Sinusitis.

This study aimed to study the various presentations of post COVID-19 invasive fungal sinusitis with 7th cranial nerve palsy and to correlate topodiagnostic tests and radiological findings to identify the site of lesion. A retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital where 11 patients with post COVID-19 invasive fungal sinusitis with facial palsy presented to our institute. Detailed history, clinical examination, radiological imaging were done for all patients. A total of 11 patients with post COVID-19 invasive fungal sinusitis with facial palsy were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 44.8, with a male to female ratio of 4.5:1. Diabetes Mellitus was a major factor contributing to immunosuppression in our study with 9 patients who were known cases of diabetes mellitus and 2 newly diagnosed cases. On MRI, 10 patients had involvement of the Pterygopalatine fossa and 4 patients had involvement of the petrous apex. Post COVID-19 invasive fungal sinusitis can present with facial palsy, and diabetes mellitus is a major contributing factor to immunosuppression in these patients. The involvement of the petrous apex is a possible site of involvement, and MRI can aid in localizing the site of the lesion. Further studies are required to identify the exact mechanism of facial nerve palsy in invasive fungal sinusitis.