What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate how the quantity of donor motor axons supplied to cross-facial nerve grafts influences functional and aesthetic smile restoration outcomes.

October 21, 2009Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Effect of Axonal Load on the Functional and Aesthetic Outcomes of the Cross-Facial Nerve Graft Procedure for Facial Reanimation

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To investigate how the quantity of donor motor axons supplied to cross-facial nerve grafts influences functional and aesthetic smile restoration outcomes.
Reviewed 69 facial reanimation cases with sufficient nerve biopsy specimens obtained during two-stage reconstruction.
Quantified motor axon counts via MetaMorph software for donor nerves and stage I grafts, and manually for stage II distal nerve grafts.
Graded aesthetic and functional smile outcomes from standardized video recordings using the Terzis evaluation scale by four blinded, independent reviewers.
Donor axonal count correlated positively with axon counts at the distal graft end and with improved clinical score evaluations.
Axon counts at the distal end of the nerve graft showed no statistically significant correlation with final functional or aesthetic outcomes.
Patients with a donor nerve axon count of 900 or greater were significantly more likely to achieve satisfactory surgical outcomes.

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Implication

Retrospective study shows higher donor nerve axon counts improve smile recovery in facial paralysis, indicating a 900-axon threshold is critical for successful cross-facial nerve graft outcomes.

Cite This Study

Terzis et al. (2009) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a8a846d5246293882fd9382 https://doi.org/10.1097/prs.0b013e3181babb93

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Implication

Retrospective study shows higher donor nerve axon counts improve smile recovery in facial paralysis, indicating a 900-axon threshold is critical for successful cross-facial nerve graft outcomes.

Effect of Axonal Load on the Functional and Aesthetic Outcomes of the Cross-Facial Nerve Graft Procedure for Facial Reanimation

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Effect of Axonal Load on the Functional and Aesthetic Outcomes of the Cross-Facial Nerve Graft Procedure for Facial Reanimation

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study