Facial baroparesis: a report of five cases.

Six episodes of facial baroparesis in 5 divers are reported. Three of the divers experienced left-sided paresis and 2 right-sided. In 2 of the subjects (3 episodes) the paresis disappeared spontaneously when the relative middle ear overpressure cleared, and in the remaining 3 subjects the paresis disappeared on recompression to less than 2 m. No residual effects were found, but the subject who experienced 2 episodes stopped diving. Available evidence favors the theory of ischemic compression neurapraxia.