Processed Allograft: Novel Use in Facial Nerve Repair after Resection of a Rare Racial Nerve Paraganglioma

Abstract

Objectives:To present a rare case of facial nerve paraganglioma and novel use of a processed allograft for facial nerve reconstruction. Study Design:Case report and review of the literature. Methods:A 34 year old female presented with progressive onset right sided facial palsy for 5 months. CT and MRI demonstrated an irregular mass in the right facial nerve canal from the intratympanic segment to the stylomastoid foramen.

Processed nerve allografts for peripheral nerve reconstruction: A multicenter study of utilization and outcomes in sensory, mixed, and motor nerve reconstructions

“…Extensive research efforts have focused on identifying alternatives to the classical nerve autograft. Processed nerve allografts have shown promise in numerous animal studies and in early clinical explorations 10–16. While processed nerve allografts are acellular, they contain many of the beneficial characteristics of the nerve autograft, such as physical macrostructures, three dimensional microstructural scaffolding and protein components inherent to nerve tissue 2, 5, 6, 12, 17–19.…”

Decellularized Nerves for Upper Limb Nerve Reconstruction: A Systematic Review of Functional Outcomes

“…Based on our inclusion criteria, we retrieved eight clinical studies involving the use of decellularized nerves for repairing peripheral nerve injuries and two case reports of decellularized nerves for facial nerve repair. 9,10 The two case reports were excluded. By crosschecking the references of the six articles, we found one additional article, making a total of seven studies.…”

Influence of Tacrolimus (FK506) on Nerve Regeneration Using Allografts: A Rat Sciatic Nerve Model

“…Initial studies of the Avance graft in animals and humans have examined the repair of peripheral nerves, but this is the first reported case of human facial nerve reconstruction. 18 The results after nerve repairs are influenced by many parameters, such as the nature, location, and extent of the injury, the level and timing of the repair, the fascicular anatomy, appropriateness of realignment of the injured nerve, the surgical technique, and patient factors. 19 In addition to these factors in the regeneration of nerve repair, some pharmaceutical agents that are used locally at the site of nerve repair have an effect.…”