• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.303-309
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• 2021

Background: Transferring the hypoglossal nerve to the facial nerve using an end-to-end method is very effective for improving facial motor function. However, this technique may result in hemitongue atrophy. The ansa cervicalis, which arises from the cervical plexus, is also used for facial reanimation. We retrospectively reviewed cases where facial reanimation was performed using the ansa cervicalis to overcome the shortcomings of existing techniques of hypoglossal nerve transfer. Methods: The records of 15 patients who underwent hypoglossal nerve transfer were retrospectively reviewed. Three methods were used: facial reanimation with hypoglossal nerve transfer (group 1), facial nerve reanimation using the ansa cervicalis (group 2), and sural nerve interposition grafting between the hypoglossal nerve and facial nerve (group 3). In group 1, the ansa cervicalis was coapted to neurotize the distal stump of the hypoglossal nerve in a subset of patients. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the House-Brackmann (H-B) grading system and Emotrics software. Results: All patients in group 1 (n= 4) achieved H-B grade IV facial function and showed improvements in the oral commissure angle at rest (preoperative vs. postoperative difference, 6.48° ± 0.77°) and while smiling (13.88° ± 2.00°). In groups 2 and 3, the oral commissure angle slightly improved at rest (group 2: 0.95° ± 0.53°, group 3: 1.35° ± 1.02°) and while smiling (group 2: 2.06° ± 0.67°, group 3: 1.23° ± 0.56°). In group 1, reduced tongue morbidity was found in patients who underwent ansa cervicalis transfer. Conclusion: Facial reanimation with hypoglossal nerve transfer, in combination with hypoglossal nerve neurotization using the ansa cervicalis for complete facial palsy patients, might enable favorable facial reanimation outcomes and reduce tongue morbidity. Facial reanimation using the ansa cervicalis or sural nerve for incomplete facial palsy patients did not lead to remarkable improvements, but it warrants further investigation.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2019

Background The masseter nerve is a useful donor nerve for reconstruction in patients with established facial palsy, with numerous advantages including low morbidity, a strong motor impulse, high reliability, and fast reinnervation. In this study, we assessed the results of masseter nerve-innervated free gracilis muscle transfer in established facial palsy patients. Methods Ten patients with facial palsy who received treatment from January 2015 to January 2017 were enrolled in this study. Three patients received masseter nerve-only free gracilis transfer, and seven received double-innervated free gracilis transfer (masseter nerve and a cross-face nerve graft). Patients were evaluated using the Facial Assessment by Computer Evaluation software (FACEgram) to quantify oral commissure excursion and symmetry at rest and when smiling after muscle transfer. Results The mean time between surgery and initial movement was roughly 167.7 days. A statistically significant increase in excursion at rest and when smiling was seen after muscle transfer. There was a significant increase in the distance of oral commissure excursion at rest and when smiling. A statistically significant increase was observed in symmetry when smiling. Terzis' functional and aesthetic grading scores showed significant improvements postoperatively. Conclusions Masseter nerve innervation is a good option with many uses in in established facial palsy patients. For some conditions, it is the first-line treatment. Free gracilis muscle transfer using the masseter nerve has excellent results with good symmetry and an effective degree of recovery.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.769-772
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• 2022

Femoral nerve injuries are devastating injuries that lead to paralysis of the quadriceps muscles, weakening knee extension to prohibit ambulation. We report a devastating case of electrical injury-induced femoral neuropathy, where no apparent site of nerve disruption can be identified, thus inhibiting the traditional choices of nerve reconstruction such as nerve repair, grafting, or transfer. Concomitant spinal cord injury resulted in spastic myopathy of the antagonist muscles that further restricted knee extension. Our strategy was to perform (1) supercharge end-to-side technique (SETS) to augment the function of target muscles and (2) fractional tendon lengthening to release the spastic muscles. Dramatic postoperative improvement in passive and active range of motion highlights the effectiveness of this strategy to manage partial femoral nerve injuries.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2024

The facial nerve stimulates the muscles of facial expression and the parasympathetic nerves of the face. Consequently, facial nerve paralysis can lead to facial asymmetry, deformation, and functional impairment. Facial nerve palsy is most commonly idiopathic, as with Bell palsy, but it can also result from a tumor or trauma. In this article, we discuss traumatic facial nerve injury. To identify the cause of the injury, it is important to first determine its location. The location and extent of the damage inform the treatment method, with options including primary repair, nerve graft, cross-face nerve graft, nerve crossover, and muscle transfer. Intracranial proximal facial nerve injuries present a challenge to surgical approaches due to the complexity of the temporal bone. Surgical intervention in these cases requires a collaborative approach between neurosurgery and otolaryngology, and nerve repair or grafting is difficult. This article describes the treatment of peripheral facial nerve injury. Primary repair generally offers the best prognosis. If primary repair is not feasible within 6 months of injury, nerve grafting should be attempted, and if more than 12 months have elapsed, functional muscle transfer should be performed. If the affected nerve cannot be utilized at that time, the contralateral facial nerve, ipsilateral masseter nerve, or hypoglossal nerve can serve as the donor nerve. Other accompanying symptoms, such as lagophthalmos or midface ptosis, must also be considered for the successful treatment of facial nerve injury.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.128-136
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• 1996

Radial nerve injury is caused by variety of etiologies, mainly traumatic. It is primarily a motor nerve and loss of it's function leads to a significant disability. Surgical treatments of radial nerve comprise of neurolysis(internal or external), neurorrhaphy(eineural, perineural or epi-perineural), nerve graft and tendon transfer. However, there is still controversies in treatment methods and time of operation. Authors experienced 23 cases of radial nerve injuries who were treated by operative methods and followed up over 1 year's duration. The male to female ratio was 18 to 5 and mean age was 30.7 years old. The causes were 13 cases in fractures, 5 cases in crushing injury, 3 cases in laceration, 1 case in CO poisoning and 1 case in unknown cause. The summary of the study were as follows ; 1. Excellent or good results were obtained in overall 16 cases among 23 cases; 5 of 9 cases in neurolysis, 3 of 3 cases in neurorrhaphy, 2 of 3 cases in nerve graft and 6 of 8 cases in tendon transfer. 2. In cases of neurorrhaphy and nerve graft, primary or delayed repair showed excellent or good results and neurolysis performed before 6 months leads to better results. But there was no correlations between the time of injury and operation in tendon transfer. 3. The radial nerve injury associated with extensive soft tissue defect or any conditions that leads to nerve ischemia results poor prognosis. 4. The patients aged under 40 years showed better prognosis in clinical results according to the age of surgical treatment. 5. If the surgeon decide the method and the time of operation through the exact evaluation of the factors which influencing the end result such as age of the patient, level and type of injury, extent of nerve lesion and the associated tissue injury, good result could be expected.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.502-508
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• 2022

Objective: Contralateral seventh cervical nerve transfer (contralateral C7 transfer) is a newly attempted method to restore upper extremity motor function in the patients with spastic arm paralysis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of contralateral C7 transfer on upper extremity motor function in the patients with spastic hemiplegia after stroke. Design: A retrospective cohort study. Methods: Thirty-four patients with spastic hemiplegia after stroke was investigated. All patients registered between January 2020 and February 2021. The subjects were assessed on upper extremity motor function, cognition, and spasticity before and after contralateral C7 transfer. The upper extremity motor function was measured using the Fugl-Meyer upper extremity scale and box & block test. The cognition and spasticity were assessed by Korean version mini mental state examination (K-MMSE) and modified Ashworth scale from baseline to 8 weeks after the surgery. Results: The Fugl-Meyer upper extremity scale and modified Ashworth scale were significantly improved after contralateral C7 transfer (p<0.05). However, box & block test and K-MMSE were no significant changes after the surgery (p>0.05). Conclusions: This study suggested that the contralateral C7 transfer was a feasible and practical approach to improve upper extremity motor function in the patients with spastic hemiplegia after stroke, but further study is required to identify the long-term effects after the contralateral C7 transfer.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.348-352
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• 2013

Background Temporalis muscle transfer produces prompt surgical results with a one-stage operation in facial palsy patients. The orthodromic method is surgically simple, and the vector of muscle action is similar to the temporalis muscle action direction. This article describes transferring temporalis muscle insertion to reconstruct incomplete facial nerve palsy patients. Methods Between August 2009 and November 2011, 6 unilateral incomplete facial nerve palsy patients underwent surgery for orthodromic temporalis muscle transfer. A preauricular incision was performed to expose the mandibular coronoid process. Using a saw, the coronoid process was transected. Three strips of the fascia lata were anchored to the muscle of the nasolabial fold through subcutaneous tunneling. The tension of the strips was adjusted by observing the shape of the nasolabial fold. When optimal tension was achieved, the temporalis muscle was sutured to the strips. The surgical results were assessed by comparing pre- and postoperative photographs. Three independent observers evaluated the photographs. Results The symmetry of the mouth corner was improved in the resting state, and movement of the oral commissure was enhanced in facial animation after surgery. Conclusions The orthodromic transfer of temporalis muscle technique can produce prompt results by applying the natural temporalis muscle vector. This technique preserves residual facial nerve function in incomplete facial nerve palsy patients and produces satisfying cosmetic outcomes without malar muscle bulging, which often occurs in the turn-over technique.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.308-316
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• 2006

Objectives Despite considerable advances in technique, experience and skill, the precise place of surgery in the treatment of facial nerve injury remains uncertain. We designed a facial nerve crush injury model in rats and evaluated the recovery of crushed nerve which is the most common injury type of facial nerve using adenovirus vector mediated in vivo gene transfer of Brain derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF). Materials and methods In 48 Sprague Dawley rats, we made a facial nerve crush injury model to main trunk before the furcation, and injected a $10^{11}$pfu adenoviral BDNF in experimental group(BDNF adenoviral injection group; ad-BDNF) and $3{\mu}l$ saline in control group(Saline injection group; saline). After a period of regeneration from 10 to 40 days, nerve regeneration was evaluated with functioinal test (vibrissae and ocular movement), electrophysiologic study(threshold, peak voltage, conduction velocity) and histomorphometric study of axon density. Results Vibrissae and ocular movement, threshold and conduction velocity improved as time elapse in both group, however axon density was increased significantly only in experimental group. Functional test in 10 days and 20 days showed no difference between experimental group and control group. Vibrissae movement, threshold, conduction velocity and axon density in 30 days revealed that the regeneration in quality of experimental group was significantly superior to that of control group. Conclusion In general, there is tendency for nerve regeneration in experimental group (BDNF-adenovirus injection group) during 40 days, functional recovery was detected successfully after facial nerve crush in 30 days postoperatively.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.337-344
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• 2020

Facial paralysis is a devastating disease, the treatment of which is challenging. The use of the masseteric nerve in facial reanimation has become increasingly popular and has been applied to an expanded range of clinical scenarios. However, appropriate selection of the motor nerve and reanimation method is vital for successful facial reanimation. In this literature review on facial reanimation and the masseter nerve, we summarize and compare various reanimation methods using the masseter nerve. The masseter nerve can be used for direct coaptation with the paralyzed facial nerve for temporary motor input during cross-facial nerve graft regeneration and for double innervation with the contralateral facial nerve. The masseter nerve is favorable because of its proximity to the facial nerve, limited donor site morbidity, and rapid functional recovery. Masseter nerve transfer usually leads to improved symmetry and oral commissure excursion due to robust motor input. However, the lack of a spontaneous, effortless smile is a significant concern with the use of the masseter nerve. A thorough understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of the masseter nerve, along with careful patient selection, can expand its use in clinical scenarios and improve the outcomes of facial reanimation surgery.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.535-538
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• 2021

Schwannomas are rare benign tumors that develop in Schwann cells lining peripheral nerves. Schwannomas of the brachial plexus are especially rare, accounting for 5% of all cases. Although several treatments can be considered, the exact method of treatment is unclear owing to the scarcity and sporadic occurrence of schwannomas. Tumor resection is performed in most cases, and nerve damage is inevitable in cases of neuroinvasive schwannoma. In this case series, we present our successful use of transposition of cable-grafted nerves for the treatment of schwannomas. We performed cable-grafted nerve interposition in addition to tumor resection, leading to increased recovery of nerve damage. To relieve postoperative symptoms and minimize sequelae, precise surgical tumor resection followed by nerve interposition using a cable-grafted nerve may be recommended.