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Updated: Sep 27, 2026
Facial Nerve Surgery in the Rat Model to Study Axonal Inhibition and Regeneration
Published on: May 5, 2020
[Establishment of animal model for ischemic facial palsy in rat]
Objective:
In order to establish animal model for ischemic facial nerve palsy in rats and to observe the intrinsic vascular network of facial nerve in the fallopian canal.
Method:
Selective vascular embolization of the external carotid artery was performed in rats. The animals were killed at 1 and 30 days after operation respectively. 10% gelatin solution with fluorescent dye were injected into their left ventricles. The changes intrinsic vascular network were observed under inverted fluorescent microscopy.
Result:
Facial palsy was presented within 5 to 15 min following arterial embolization, the intrinsic capillaries of facial nerve appeared to be thinner and some of them were blocked by microspheres, especially in the labyrinthine segment. Facial palsy almost recovered after 30 days postoperatively. The capillaries returned to be almost normal shape and only few of them were thinner.
Conclusion:
The establishment of animal model for ischemic facial palsy will make contribution to experimental research and clinical treatment for facial palsy.
