severe or complete loss of facial muscle motor function; this condition may result from central or peripheral lesions; damage to CNS motor pathways from the cerebral cortex to the facial nuclei in the pons leads to facial weakness that generally spares the forehead muscles; facial nerve diseases generally results in generalized hemifacial weakness; neuromuscular junction diseases and muscular diseases may also cause facial paralysis.
Also applicable to/known as
Facial palsy
ICD-9-CM Volume 2 Index Entries That Refer To 351.0