[Intraoperative facial nerve monitoring: results]

Intraoperative facial nerve monitoring is performed by electromyographic recording of motor action potentials generated by facial nerve stimulation or mechanical damage of the facial nerve, and helps the surgeon to localize the course of this nerve, reduce the possibility of its injury during surgery, and assure its anatomical and functional integrity. We report our experience on the intraoperative facial nerve monitoring in 35 patients, ten of which belong to absolute indications for monitoring, and to relative indications the remaining cases. In every case, we used the Nerve Integrity Monitor (NIM-2), manufactured by Xomed. Assessment of facial nerve integrity degree is performed pre- and postoperatively using the House-Brackmann classification. We only found in two cases (5.7%) some degree of palsy in the late postoperative period. No correlation was found between the recorded intraoperative response and the functional results in the early postoperative period.