RAMSAY HUNT SYNDROME

Course overview

RAMSAY HUNT SYNDROME, ALSO KNOWN AS GENICULATE ZOSTER, IS A RARE CONDITION THAT MANIFESTS AS A COMPLICATION OF VARICELLA ZOSTER VIRUS (VZV) THAT ARISES IN THE GENICULATE GANGLION OF CRANIAL NERVE VII. RAMSAY HUNT IS A CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS AND CLASSICALLY IS DESCRIBED AS A TRIAD OF IPSILATERAL FACIAL PARALYSIS, OTALGIA, AND VESICLES NEAR THE EAR AND AUDITORY CANAL. DIAGNOSIS IS OFTEN MISSED OR DELAYED, WHICH CAN LEAD TO AN INCREASED INCIDENCE OF LONG TERM COMPLICATIONS. THE VIRUS ITSELF IS SELF-LIMITING, BUT TREATMENT IS TARGETED AT DECREASING THE TOTAL DURATION OF THE ILLNESS AS WELL AS PROVIDING ANALGESIA AND PREVENTING THE COMPLICATIONS THAT CAN OCCUR. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT.