[Immediate improvement in facial paralysis after surgical decompression (author's transl)].

17 cases of severe facial paralysis were studied before and after microsurgical decompression, by quantitative electromyography (electromyogram integrated in volts) at the site of the zyogmatic arch. -- In 76% of cases, no significant improvement was measured. -- An immediate, frank improvement occurred infrequently (12%), was short-lived and did not have any influence on the final result.