Nerve grafting and nerve suture in postoperative facial palsies: A report of 69 cases

• Main Author: Karsten Kettel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Academia Brasileira de Neurologia (ABNEURO) 1954-12-01
• Series: Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X1954000400005&lng=en&tlng=en

Since 1939, 260 patients with a peripheral facial palsy have been operated on by me according to Ballance and Duel, and in 61 cases nerve grafting, in 8 nerve suture was performed; 66 of the patients have been re-examined by me, 2 have been operated upon lately and one could not be traced. If a complete facial palsy arises in direct conjunction with surgery or accident the repair should, if possible, be undertaken without delay; if it occurs after an interval of freedom and the continuity of the nerve is unbroken the prognosis on the whole is good. The technique is discussed and the importance of the after-treatment is stressed. The results may be divided into two groups according to the conditions for and the proceeding of the repair, illustrated in tables 1 and 2. Among 52 cases, in which no degeneration of the musc'es had taken place and in which the operation was successfully performed a clinically satisfactory result was obtained in 47 patients. If these conditions are not fulfilled the prospect of a satisfactory result is a priori poor. It must be born in mind that not even the most successful operation will be able to restore function completely.