Facial Nerve Function After Petrosectomy

Abstract

Our results show that petrosectomy with denudation-decompression of the facial nerve with or without rerouting usually results in a normal mimic of the face. When the facial nerve is disrupted by trauma or when the nerve is infiltrated by tumor, early reconstruction with nerve suture or grafting mostly leads to a partial and quite acceptable reinnervation of the face.

Petrous Bone Fractures Violating Otic Capsule

“…Interestingly, 3 of the patients with transacted VIIth cranial nerve were operated on 3 months after injury: 2 had been in comas, and the remaining 1 initially refused the operation. The final facial function reflects the reconstruction of the nerve (18). Grafting does not provide an outcome better than Grade III.…”

Intratemporal Grafting of the Facial Nerve following Lateral Skull Base Tumor Resection

“…The successful management of a variety of tumors of the parotid gland, infratemporal fossa, temporal bone, and jugular foramen usually mandates the identification, mobilization, and protection of the facial nerve. [7][8][9] Benign, and more often, malignant neoplasms of these regions may cause facial twitching, paresis, or paralysis by neural compression or invasion. 10,11 The latter intraoperative finding is generally managed with resection of the involved facial nerve, resection with primary end-to-end repair, or interposition facial nerve grafting.…”