Management of facial paralysis in temporal bone fractures: a prospective study analyzing 11 operated fractures

This study was instituted to evaluate patients operated on for traumatic facial paralysis.

A prospective study and literature review.

Between 1996 and 2001, 10 patients with 11 temporal bone fractures resulting in facial paralysis, who were treated by surgical exploration, were handled. One patient had bilateral facial paralysis because of a bilateral temporal bone fracture. All patients had immediate facial paralysis after trauma. The sample included 7 males and 3 females, aged between 8 and 43 years.

Of the 11 fractures, 7 (63%) were longitudinal and 4 (37%) were mixed type. There were no transverse fractures. The longitudinal fractures were operated on by the middle cranial fossa (MCF) approach, whereas the mixed fractures were operated on by using a combined approach, consisting of both MCF and transmastoid approaches. The first neurotologic examination and electrophysiological evaluation of the patients were carried out at the earliest 5 days and at the latest 50 days (mean, 25.6 days). The decision for surgery based mainly on electroneurography (ENoG) was possible only in one fracture. In the remaining 10 fractures, the decision for surgery was based mainly on the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), taking into account that electromyography (EMG) showed no regeneration potentials. The timing of the surgical intervention ranged from 14 to 75 days (mean, 37.9 days). During the operation, fibrosis at the geniculate ganglion was seen in 5 fractures, impingement of the facial nerve by bone spicules at the geniculate ganglion in 2 fractures, disruption or laceration at the origin of major superficial petrosal nerve also in 2 fractures, and edema around the geniculate ganglion, which is considered a mild form of injury, seen in only 2 fractures. Five fractures showed House-Brackmann (HB) grade 1, 4 patients showed HB grade 2, and 2 patients showed HB grade 3 facial recovery. There were no hearing deterioration or permanent complications related with the procedures.

It is rarely possible to see the patients with traumatic facial paralysis in the early period and thus to perform ENoG in the critical 6 days after facial paralysis. HRCT, with the contribution of EMG and clinical judgment, has the greatest impact in decision making in patients seen late. On the basis of the facial outcomes observed in the present prospective surgical series, the recovery of satisfactory facial nerve function could be achieved, regardless of timing of surgery performed, within the first 3 months after the onset of paralysis. This study demonstrates that unless there is a disruption of the main trunk, necessitating primary end-to-end anastomosis or grafting, the type of injury does not have any clear effect on the facial outcome, as long as appropriate surgical management is applied.