Rehabilitation Surgery for Peripheral Facial Nerve Injury after Facial Trauma

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Plastic Surgery
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Facial trauma can lead to peripheral facial nerve damage, impacting function, aesthetics, and quality of life.
• Untreated facial nerve injuries can result in long-term functional deficits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of peripheral facial nerve direct end-to-end anastomosis and/or nerve grafting for facial nerve injury post-trauma.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-nine patients with peripheral facial nerve paralysis underwent surgical reconstruction within 8 weeks of injury.
• Surgical techniques included end-to-end anastomosis, nerve grafting, or a combination.
• Outcomes were assessed using the Facial Nerve Grading Scale 2.0 (FNGS 2.0), Facial Clinimetric Evaluation (FaCE) scale, and electroneurography.

Main Results:

• A combined moderate and good recovery rate of 90.2% (78.4% moderate, 11.8% good) was observed.
• Statistically significant improvements were noted across all facial paralysis measurements post-surgery.
• The incidence of synkinesis was 34%, with 86.4% of patients followed up for at least 12 months.

Conclusions:

• Peripheral facial nerve reconstruction surgery, utilizing end-to-end anastomosis and nerve grafting, is effective for facial trauma.
• These surgical interventions successfully restore nerve conduction and improve facial paralysis.