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Facial sensibility testing in the normal and posttraumatic population
A Kesarwani1, O Antonyshyn, S E Mackinnon
1Department of Surgery, Sunnybrook Medical Centre, University of Toronto, Ont, Canada.
Annals of Plastic Surgery
|May 1, 1989
Summary
A simple facial sensibility test was developed and validated. This test identified abnormal sensory function in patients with facial fractures, correlating with persistent sensory complaints.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Otolaryngology
- Plastic Surgery
Background:
- Facial trauma can lead to sensory deficits.
- Objective measures for facial sensibility are needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a reliable and simple method for assessing facial sensibility.
- To establish normative values for facial sensibility in healthy individuals.
- To evaluate the utility of this test in patients with facial fractures.
Main Methods:
- Developed and validated a simple, reproducible facial sensibility examination.
- Evaluated 60 healthy subjects to establish normal values, trends, and variations.
- Compared findings in 20 posttraumatic patients with healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Established normative data for facial sensibility.
- Demonstrated abnormal facial sensibility testing in postfacial fracture patients.
- Pressure threshold testing abnormalities most consistently correlated with sensory complaints.
- Twelve out of 20 patients reported significant sensory complaints one year post-trauma.
Conclusions:
- The described facial sensibility test is reliable and reproducible.
- Facial fracture patients exhibit abnormal sensory function.
- Pressure threshold testing is a key indicator of sensory deficits and functional complaints post-trauma.