Delayed Facial Nerve Palsy after Vestibular Schwannoma Surgery in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: Facial nerve palsy is the most common complication after vestibular schwannoma surgery. Its etiology is unknown and, in a small group of patients, it can manifest as delayed palsy. Objective: To focus on delayed palsy itself and its possible association with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Methods: Only patients with primary surgery were included in the current study. Delayed palsy was defined as the new onset of facial nerve palsy that occurred more than 72 hours after surgery. The results were correlated with information from the database of the Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic. Results: < 0.0001). Conclusion: Delayed facial nerve palsy is a rare entity after vestibular schwannoma surgery. The increase in its incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic is evident and corresponds to the general epidemiological situation with respect to age distribution.