Future innovations for the treatment of facial nerve paralysis

Facial nerve injury and paralysis causes negative physical and psychosocial effects for afflicted patients. Impaired respiration, articulation, oral competence, as well as insufficient protection of the corneas may cause a markedly decreased quality of life and social isolation. The optimal management of underlying pathologies and the resulting symptoms is thus an ongoing topic of clinical and pre-clinical research and the optimal management of facial nerve injury is continuing to evolve. Recent technological advances have opened up exciting possibilities in this complex field, giving hope to treating physicians and afflicted patients alike. The present narrative review summarizes several concepts regarding biomedical engineering and facial reanimation with an overview of the current literature.