Intracranial facial nerve reconstruction

Surgery for tumours of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) or the internal auditory canal (IAC) is sometimes complicated by the severing of the seventh nerve. Many procedures are available for facial reanimation. Among these, primary intracranial VII-VII reanastomosis is considered as the method of choice. This series reviews all the cases of primary intracranial facial nerve reconstruction that we have performed either directly or with the use of a nerve graft interposition. Functional results are analyzed according to the House-Brackmann grading scale. The advantages and benefits of this technique are discussed as compared with other methods of facial reanimation, namely, the hypoglossal-facial anastomosis.