[Schirmer's test in the intratemporal surgery of the facial nerve].

The Schirmer test enables us to localise a lesion of the facial nerve as situated proximally or distally to the geniculate ganglion. Three cases of traumatic facial paralysis were surgically treated. One by transmastoidal decompression, two others by subtemporal suture or nerve graft. Partial to subtotal reinnervation took place in all three cases. The correct choice of transmastoidal or subtemporal approach was made according to the results of the Schirmer test, in the absence of X ray information.