Herpes zoster oticus is an acute disease of the skin associated with vesicles on one side of the auricle and in the external auditory canal, .facial, paralysis aria disturbances of 8th and 5th cranial nerves.
Herpes zoster oticus was first named by Korner in 1904 and that the disease could invoke cranial nerves was demonstrated by many authors, but Tryde in 1872 was the first to report a case of herpes zoster with facial paralysis. The syndrome of herpes zoster of the ear with facial paralysis and acoustic symptoms was intensively studied and elaborated-by-James Ramsay Hunt in 7907.
The first symptom is shooting pain in the ear, as a rule unilateral. For several days proceding thetypical eruption the ear becomes violently red and swolled. Several days after the onset the typical eruption makes its appearance. It consists of vesicles arranged in groups. They make their appearanceon the infiltrated skin of the zoster zoo, distribution or areas of associated ganglia.. The unilateral peripheral facial paralysis develops and disturbances of taste is a common complaint The cochleardivision of the auditory nerve is variously affected causing hearing loss and tinnitus. Similarly as thea result of involvement of the vestibular nerve there are cases of vertigo, associated with nausea and vomiting and nystagmus. This disease is not rare disease and we could find several reported cases in Korea.
The authors have experienced 2 cases of Ramsay Hunt syndrome and reported here now with reviewing the literatures. The ages of the patients were respectively, a 57-year-old female and a 34-year-old male.
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