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Facial Reanimation After Intratemporal Facial Nerve Schwannoma Resection: A Systematic Review
Antonios N Varelas1, Eleni A Varelas1, Emily Kay-Rivest2
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA.
Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine
|December 27, 2023
Summary
For intratemporal facial schwannoma resection, interposition nerve grafts offer superior facial nerve reanimation outcomes compared to hypoglossal-facial nerve transposition. This systematic review highlights preferred techniques for improved patient function.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Otolaryngology
- Nerve Reconstruction
Background:
- Intratemporal facial schwannomas require surgical resection, often necessitating facial nerve reanimation.
- Evaluating reanimation techniques is crucial for optimizing functional outcomes post-surgery.
Approach:
- Systematic review adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
- Comprehensive search of PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases.
- Analysis of 22 studies involving 266 patients undergoing facial nerve reanimation.
Key Points:
- Interposition nerve grafts were the predominant reanimation method (81.2%).
- Great auricular and sural nerves were most frequently used for interposition grafts.
- Interposition grafts yielded significantly better postoperative facial nerve function than hypoglossal-facial nerve transposition (p < 0.01).
Conclusions:
- Interposition nerve grafts provide superior facial nerve functional outcomes after intratemporal facial schwannoma resection.
- No significant difference in outcomes was observed among different types of interposition nerve grafts.
