Hypoglossal-Facial Side-to-End Neurorrhaphy With Concomitant Masseteric-Zygomatic Nerve Branch Coaptation and Muscle Transfer for Facial Reanimation: Technique and Case Report

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. E230-E235
Author(s):  
Nobutaka Yoshioka

Abstract BACKGROUND Hypoglossal-facial direct side-to-end neurorrhaphy has become widely used for facial reanimation in patients with irreversible facial nerve damage. Although this procedure achieves good restoration of facial function, it has disadvantages such as mass movement and lack of spontaneity. OBJECTIVE To present a new facial reanimation technique using hypoglossal-facial direct side-to-end neurorrhaphy with concomitant masseteric-zygomatic nerve branch coaptation and secondary muscle transfer to reduce mass movement and achieve a spontaneous smile in patients with facial paralysis. METHODS This article describes a novel facial reanimation technique that employs hypoglossal and masseteric nerve transfer combined with secondary vascularized functional gracilis muscle transfer. RESULTS Details of the technique are reported in a patient with complete facial paralysis after brain surgery. The hypoglossal nerve was partially served and connected to the mastoid segment of the facial nerve by side-to-end anastomosis to restore facial symmetry. A nerve supplying the masseter muscle was coapted with a zygomatic branch by end-to-end anastomosis to restore voluntary movement of the oral commissure, as well as to assist with eye closure. A cross face sural nerve graft was connected to zygomatic branches on the healthy side. In the second stage, a vascularized functional gracilis muscle graft was transplanted using the cross face nerve graft as the donor nerve to restore a natural smile. CONCLUSION Hypoglossal-facial neurorrhaphy with concomitant masseteric-zygomatic nerve branch coaptation and muscle transfer is an alternative facial reanimation technique that reduces mass movement and achieves a natural smile.

2011 ◽  
Vol 70 (suppl_2) ◽  
pp. ons237-ons243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalpesh T. Vakharia ◽  
Doug Henstrom ◽  
Scott R. Plotkin ◽  
Mack Cheney ◽  
Tessa A. Hadlock

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is a tumor suppressor syndrome defined by bilateral vestibular schwannomas. Facial paralysis, from either tumor growth or surgical intervention, is a devastating complication of this disorder and can contribute to disfigurement and corneal keratopathy. Historically, physicians have not attempted to treat facial paralysis in these patients. OBJECTIVE: To review our clinical experience with free gracilis muscle transfer for the purpose of facial reanimation in patients with NF2. METHODS: Five patients with NF2 and complete unilateral facial paralysis were referred to the facial nerve center at our institution. Charts and operative reports were reviewed; treatment details and functional outcomes are reported. RESULTS: Patients were treated between 2006 and 2009. Three patients were men and 2 were women. The age of presentation of debilitating facial paralysis ranged from 12 to 50 years. All patients were treated with a single-stage free gracilis muscle transfer for smile reanimation. Each obturator nerve of the gracilis was coapted to the masseteric branch of the trigeminal nerve. Measurement of oral commissure excursions at rest and with smile preoperatively and postoperatively revealed an improved and nearly symmetric smile in all cases. CONCLUSION: Management of facial paralysis is oftentimes overlooked when defining a care plan for NF2 patients who typically have multiple brain and spine tumors. The paralyzed smile may be treated successfully with single-stage free gracilis muscle transfer in the motivated patient.


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobutaka Yoshioka

Abstract BACKGROUND Hypoglossal nerve transfer is frequently employed to reanimate the paralyzed facial muscles after irreversible proximal facial nerve injury. However, it can cause significant postoperative synkinesis because it involves the reinnervation of the whole mimetic musculature using a single motor source. OBJECTIVE To describe our experience with differential reanimation of the midface and lower face using separate motor sources in patients with short-term facial paralysis after brain surgery. METHODS Seven patients underwent combined nerve transfer (the masseteric nerve to the zygomatic branch and the hypoglossal nerve to the cervicofacial division of the facial nerve) and cross-facial nerve grafting with the aim of achieving a spontaneous smile. The median duration of paralysis before surgery was 7 mo and follow-up ranged from 7 to 31 mo (mean: 18 mo). For evaluation, both physical examination and video analysis were performed. RESULTS In all patients, reanimation of both the midface and the lower face was successful. A nearly symmetrical resting lip was achieved in all patients, and they were able to voluntarily elevate the corners of their mouths without visible synkinesis and to close their eyes while biting. No patient experienced impairment of masticatory function or tongue atrophy. CONCLUSION Differential reanimation of the midface and lower face with the masseteric and hypoglossal nerves is an alternative method that helps to minimize synkinetic mass movement and morbidity at the donor site.


2013 ◽  
Vol 118 (1) ◽  
pp. 160-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayato Hayashi ◽  
Masanobu Nishida ◽  
Hisakazu Seno ◽  
Masahiro Inoue ◽  
Hiroshi Iwata ◽  
...  

Object The authors have developed a technique for the treatment of facial paralysis that utilizes anastomosis of the split hypoglossal and facial nerve. Here, they document improvements in the procedure and experimental evidence supporting the approach. Methods They analyzed outcomes in 36 patients who underwent the procedure, all of whom had suffered from facial paralysis following the removal of large vestibular schwannomas. The average period of paralysis was 6.2 months. The authors used 5 different variations of a procedure for selecting the split nerve, including evaluation of the split nerve using recordings of evoked potentials in the tongue. Results Successful facial reanimation was achieved in 16 of 17 patients using the cephalad side of the split hypoglossal nerve and in 15 of 15 patients using the caudal side. The single unsuccessful case using the cephalad side of the split nerve resulted from severe infection of the cheek. Procedures using the ansa cervicalis branch yielded poor success rates (2 of 4 cases). Some tongue atrophy was observed in all variants of the procedure, with 17 cases of minimal atrophy and 14 cases of moderate atrophy. No procedure led to severe atrophy causing functional deficits of the tongue. Conclusions The split hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis procedure consistently leads to good facial reanimation, and the use of either half of the split hypoglossal nerve results in facial reanimation and moderate tongue atrophy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-52
Author(s):  
Muhammad Izzuddin Hamzan ◽  
Mior Faiq Abu Tahrin ◽  
Wan Azman Wan Sulaiman

The purpose of this research to address objective excursion and symmetry results from a series of free gracilis muscle transfer (FGMT) cases and examine the predictive intraoperative number of vectors anchored during flap inset on outcomes. A retrospective analysis performs by data retrieved from the HUSM Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery OR Registry from January 2005 to June 2019. All patients who reported facial nerve palsy were recorded and re-evaluated. All characteristics in interest were epidemiologically tabulated and analyzed in detail. Subsequently, outcome assessment was performed to look for facial symmetry and smile excursion compared to the healthy side of the face—this study exempted by the Institutional Review Board of the Hospital of University of Sciences Malaysia. Out of 12 patients diagnosed with facial palsy, four patients underwent static facial reanimation. Eight patients underwent a dynamic facial reanimation, with 4 of them completed two stages of cross-facial nerve grafting (CFNG) and free gracilis muscle transfer (FGMT). One of the FGMTs patients had missed a follow-up. The mean age was 20 (range 11 to 30), one patient was male, and two were female. The mean duration for follow-up was 69 months. The mean duration of operating time was 8.67 hours. All operations without complication, and there was no microvascular re-exploration. Smile excursion and angle excursion at smile improved following FGMT. Association between the number of vectors anchored during flap inset to the outcome were identified. Dynamic facial reanimation using FGMT still the gold standard of treatment, which provides an excellent quantifiable improvement in oral commissure excursion and facial symmetry with smiling. The use of multivector gracilis flap was suggestive to associate with the good outcome on excursion and symmetrical of the smile.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (20) ◽  
pp. 1551-1554
Author(s):  
Vrushali K. Athawale ◽  
Dushyant P. Bawiskar ◽  
Pratik Arun Phansopkar

Facial nerve palsy is the disease of cranial nerve. From the total number of cases, 60 to 75 % of Bell's palsy cases are idiopathic form of facial palsy. Facial nerve palsy results in weakness of facial muscles, atrophy, asymmetry of face and also disturbs the quality of life. Bell’s palsy occurs in every class of population affecting people of all the age groups but the most common age group affected is 15 - 50 years with equal sex prediliction accounting 11 - 40 cases per 100,000. If facial palsy is not treated properly then it may result in variety of complications like motor synkinesis, dysarthria, contractures of facial muscles, and crocodile tear. Currently facial paralysis treatment consists of combination of pharmacological therapy, facial neuromuscular re-entrainment physiotherapy or surgical intervention by static and dynamic facial reanimation techniques. Physiotherapy treatment is effective for treating facial paralysis with minimal complications and can be individualized. Bell's palsy is the idiopathic form of facial nerve palsy which accounts for 60 to 75 % of cases and male to female ratio is 1:3.1 The aetiology of facial paralysis is not yet thoroughly understood. Cases of varicella-zoster, mononucleosis, herpes simplex virus, mumps and measles have demonstrated good serology in several reports for their association but still stands unclear. 2 Peripheral facial nerve palsy may be idiopathic (primary cause) or Bell’s palsy (secondary). Causes of the secondary unilateral facial nerve palsy are diabetes, stroke, Hansen's disease, herpes simplex infection, birth injury, trauma, tumour, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and immune system disorders. Causes of the bilateral facial nerve palsy are leukemia, brainstem encephalitis, leprosy, and meningitis. The most prominent current theories of facial nerve paralysis pathophysiology include the reactivation of herpes simplex virus infection (HSV type 1). Current facial paralysis treatment consists of a combination of pharmacological therapy, facial neuromuscular re-entrainment physiotherapy or surgical intervention by dynamic and static facial reanimation techniques.7 This is a diagnosed case of right facial nerve palsy which was treated under physiotherapy department with proper rehabilitation protocol.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tae Suk Oh ◽  
Hyung Bae Kim ◽  
Jong Woo Choi ◽  
Woo Shik Jeong

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