Bell's palsy: delayed recovery after one year with surgical confirmation.

An instance of Bell's palsy with complete flaccid peripheral facial paralysis at one year with surgical confirmation by total facial nerve decompression and incision of the intratemporal facial nerve sheath confirmation is presented. This individual, with a most unusual duration of total facial paralysis in an instance of Bell's palsy, nevertheless developed eventual recovery typical of the delayed recovery from Bell's palsy, with considerable improvement in facial symmetry at rest, eyelid closure, and facial motion.