Primary neoplasms of the facial nerve

A series of 30 primary facial nerve tumors is reviewed. Most of them were benign (n = 26); there were four malignant tumors. Neoplasms originating within the temporal bone were found to have preoperative facial paralysis in 84 percent of cases; the extracranial tumors had a 35 percent incidence of preoperative facial paralysis. All tumors in this series were treated surgically--by means of a middle fossa or transmastoid approach for the intratemporal group of tumors; the extracranial tumors were removed by the technique of parotid tumor surgery with complete facial nerve dissection. All the patients with preoperative facial weakness required facial nerve transection. Facial paralysis was rehabilitated with nerve grafts, hypoglossal crossover, or muscle transfers. Because "normal" facial expression is still not attainable following repair of complete facial nerve transection, an early diagnosis, hopefully prior to total neurotmesis, is essential. All patients with unexplained facial weakness, especially that which is progressive and persistent, should have the entire course of the facial nerve investigated for the possibility of treatable etiology.     

不同切口腮腺肿瘤切除术术后并发症及对生活质量的影响

目的:探讨不同切口腮腺肿瘤切除术对良性腮腺肿瘤的术后并发症及对患者生活质量的影响。方法:收取2010年1月至2015年1月间于我院接受改良腮腺肿瘤切除术的良性腮腺肿瘤患者62例作为研究对象进行随机对照试验,平均分为A、B两组,A组采用改良S型切口,B组采用耳后隐蔽切口。对两组围术期指标、术后并发症以及对患者生活质量的影响进行考察与比较。结果:两组患者手术时间、术中出血量、术后引流量以及术后住院时间相较均无显著差异(P0.05)。A组患者早期并发症发生率为29.03%,远期并发症发生率为25.81%;B组患者早期及远期并发症发生率分别为19.35%及12.90%,两组相较无显著差异(P0.05)。A组患者术后疼痛及情绪优于术前,外貌、味觉及咀嚼功能均差于术前(P0.05)。B组患者术后疼痛、情绪均优于术前(P0.05)。术后A组患者外貌及情绪均不及B组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:耳后隐蔽切口改良腮腺肿瘤切除术对良性腮腺肿瘤患者安全性好,患者生活质量优于改良S型切口腮腺切除,值得临床推广。     

改良手术方法在腮腺肿瘤手术中的运用

目的：改良腮腺肿瘤手术方法,以期最大程度恢复术后患者美容及功能。方法：采用以下改良术式：①采用隐蔽的面部除皱切口,避免了常规术式的颈部切口;②采用总干法解剖面神经,减少了面神经周围支损伤的机率;③保留耳大神经,避免术后耳垂麻木;④采用口腔修复膜,减少了术后Frey综合征的发生;⑤采用蒂在上方的胸锁乳突肌肌瓣填塞腮腺切除后的凹陷区,避免了常规术式后的面部畸形。结果：采用该方法对36例患者行腮腺切除术,术后随访6月～4年,患者面部疤痕不明显,外形恢复良好,无面瘫,无Frey综合征出现。结论：改良的腮腺切除术克服了传统术式的缺陷,值得进一步推广和普及。     

Selective myectomy for postparetic facial synkinesis

Synkinetic movements are secondary to facial palsy because they appear like a late sequela to spontaneously healing facial nerve injury. They are produced by an involuntary contraction of a muscle group simultaneous with contraction of other homologous muscle groups. The disorderly regeneration of severed axons is responsible for these movements. According to the Lippschitz theory, the regenerating nerve fibers sprout into the wrong peripheral branches. Between 1975 and 1986, 71 patients with facial paralysis were evaluated. Spontaneous recovery from the facial paralysis occurred in 28 of these patients; 14 (50 percent) developed synkinetic movements, and surgical treatment was sought by only 6 patients. In all patients, the lesion of the facial nerve was in the trunk, proximal to the principal ramification. The most frequent clinical finding was simultaneous activation between the orbicularis oculi and the elevators of the corner of the mouth (12 patients) or the elevators of the upper lip (2 patients). In 8 patients, in whom the slight synkinesis was not noticed by the patients, surgical correction was not necessary, but in the other 6 patients with severe aesthetic disturbances, surgical treatment for "disconnection" of the wrong impulses was realized. I obtained this "disconnection" through resection of the involved perioral muscle groups instead of paralysis of the orbicularis oculi. Follow-up of the 6 patients operated with the surgical treatment proposed herein for between 4 and 8 years has shown good aesthetic results without functional or aesthetic sequelae.     

Neurovascular free-muscle transfer to treat facial paralysis associated with hemifacial microsomia

Despite the wide spectrum of hemifacial microsomia manifestations, treatment mainly focuses on mandible and ear abnormalities, rather than on facial paralysis. In fact, the surgical treatment of facial paralysis associated with hemifacial microsomia is quite underdeveloped, because the degree of paralysis is frequently incomplete or partial. Timing and type of surgery are also difficult to determine. Neurovascular free-muscle transfer is now a standard procedure for the dynamic smile reconstruction of longstanding facial paralysis. This type of strategy has considerable potential in the treatment of facial paralysis in patients with hemifacial microsomia. We present here our experience with neurovascular free-muscle transfer for smile reconstruction in eight patients with facial paralysis associated with hemifacial microsomia. The age of the patients at the time of surgery ranged from 7 to 28 years old, (average, 13.9 years). Six were male patients and two were female patients. The two-stage method combining gracilis muscle transfer with cross-face nerve grafting was performed in three patients, whereas the one-stage transfer of the latissimus dorsi muscle was performed in five. To construct a natural or near-natural smile, the muscles were transferred into the paralyzed cheek in all except one patient, in whom the latissimus dorsi muscle was transferred into the sublabial area to reconstruct a paralyzed lower lip. A dermal flap segment vascularized with perforating vessels from the latissimus dorsi muscle was simultaneously inserted into the underdeveloped cheek for soft-tissue augmentation in this patient. Muscle contraction was evident in all patients between 4 and 8 months after muscle transfer. Our present series revealed that neurovascular free-muscle transfer is a good option not only for smile reconstruction but also for restoration of the facial contours of patients with hemifacial microsomia. Compared with the two-stage method combining gracilis muscle transfer with cross-face nerve grafting, the one-stage method using the latissimus dorsi muscle has some advantages, including a one-stage operation, a shorter recovery period, and the absence of sequelae that occur after harvesting a sural nerve.     

Frey's syndrome: diagnosis in geriatric dentistry

Frey's syndrome, is characterized by warmth, flushing and sweating of the face, most of time in the preauricular region, initiated by any gustatory stimulus. It is frequently related to parotid surgery. A case of Frey's syndrome in a 81‐year‐old female whose long‐delayed clinical onset post‐parotidectomy is presented.     

Frey's syndrome: a preventable phenomenon.

Gustatory sweating, or Frey's syndrome, is a fairly common sequela of partial or radical parotidectomy, submaxillary gland surgery, or radical neck dissection. It is caused by an anastomotic communication with facial sweat glands by parasympathetic secretomotor nerve fibers intended for the excised parotid gland; treatments, whether surgical or topical, generally have been less than satisfactory. We present the first documented prophylactic approach to Frey's syndrome that is performed during and as part of parotidectomy. The surgery involves use of the superficial aponeurotic system (SMAS) as an interposing flap to interrupt the anastomotic nerve communication with the sweat glands. The SMAS is derived from the fascia in the periauricular cheek and neck area that is continuous with the platysma muscle. In a prospective study in 55 patients undergoing elective parotidectomy, the SMAS flap was elevated during the beginning of the operative procedure once it had been determined that fashioning of the flap would in no way compromise tumor excision. In all cases, at follow-up, there has been no clinical evidence of development of Frey's syndrome. We have shown that the development of the SMAS flap in parotid gland resections is an effective new approach both as a preventative measure against Frey's syndrome and as an aesthetic improvement over the usual defect typical of parotidectomies.     

Body image disturbance and surgical decision making in egyptian post menopausal breast cancer patients

Background

Proximal major limb amputations due to malignant tumors have become rare but are still a valuable treatment option in palliation and in some cases can even cure. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse outcome in those patients, including the postoperative course, survival, pain, quality of life, and prosthesis usage.

Methods

Data of 45 consecutive patients was acquired from patient's charts and contact to patients, and general practitioners. Patients with interscapulothoracic amputation (n = 14), shoulder disarticulation (n = 13), hemipelvectomy (n = 3) or hip disarticulation (n = 15) were included.

Results

The rate of proximal major limb amputations in patients treated for sarcoma was 2.3% (37 out of 1597). Survival for all patients was 42.9% after one year and 12.7% after five years. Survival was significantly better in patients with complete tumor resections. Postoperative chemotherapy and radiation did not prolong survival. Eighteen percent of the patients with malignant disease developed local recurrence. In 44%, postoperative complications were observed. Different modalities of postoperative pain management and the site of the amputation had no significant influence on long-term pain assessment and quality of life. Eighty-seven percent suffered from phantom pain, 15.6% considered their quality of life worse than before the operation. Thirty-two percent of the patients who received a prosthesis used it regularly.

Conclusion

Proximal major limb amputations severely interfere with patients' body function and are the last, albeit valuable, option within the treatment concept of extremity malignancies or severe infections. Besides short survival, high complication rates, and postoperative pain, patients' quality of life can be improved for the time they have remaining.     

Ultrastructural diagnosis of facial nerve schwannoma using fine needle aspiration

In a 14-year-old boy presenting with left facial nerve paralysis, physical examination revealed a soft, round mass in the floor of the left external auditory canal. A fine needle aspiration biopsy was performed to obtain material for light and electron microscopy. Several small groups of uniform, spindle-shaped neoplastic cells were present on the slides; a malignant mesenchymal tumor was considered, but a definite diagnosis could not be established under light microscopy. The ultrastructural examination revealed spindle-shaped and stellate cells with multiple parallel cytoplasmic processes lined with a well-developed basal lamina; these features are highly characteristic of a benign schwannoma.     

口腔修复膜植入预防腮腺手术后Frey综合征

目的：观察口腔修复膜（异种脱细胞真皮基质）植入对腮腺术后Frey综合征的预防作用。方法：我科近五年来施行的腮腺手术病人共75例,其中35例选择在皮瓣与腮腺床之间植入口腔修复膜,术后随访1-2年,以患者主观症状判断是否存在Frey综合征。结果：在未使用口腔修复膜的患者中,有29例（72．5％）出现Frey综合征的症状,在使用修复膜的患者中只有1例（2．9％）出现症状。两组之间有显著性差异（P〈0．01）。结论：口腔修复膜（异种脱细胞真皮基质）能有效预防腮腺手术后Frey综合征的发生。     

Treatment of diabetic neuropathy by decompression of the posterior tibial nerve

A series of 58 operations on 36 patients were performed for decompression of the posterior tibial nerve for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. Preoperative symptoms included lack of sensation, pain, or both. Eleven of the 36 patients had neurotrophic ulcers, which were treated simultaneously. The operation was found to be effective for relief of pain in 24 of the 28 patients with that complaint (86 percent). Restoration of sensation was less consistent with improvement noted in 18 of the 36 patients (50 percent). The follow-up period ranged from 12 to 84 months (mean, 32 months) and five patients had some degree of recurrent symptoms. No patient has developed a new ulcer after nerve decompression. Wound complications were minimal (12 percent), even though ulcers were treated simultaneously. No patient required surgical treatment for the decompression incision, although one did require hospital admission for treatment of a wound infection. In general, the procedure seemed to be a worthwhile treatment, which should be considered ill selected diabetics with symptomatic neuropathy.     

Facial Sweating after Food: A New Sign of Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy

Facial sweating during eating (gustatory sweating) has been observed for the first time in a group of diabetics, and is considered to be a feature of the autonomic neuropathy which affected them all. The sweating, which was sometimes very severe, was produced by many foodstuffs, cheese being the most powerful stimulus. Atropine inhibited sweating stimulated by eating cheese, and oral anticholinergic drugs effectively eliminated the symptoms. These bizarre symptoms are probably due to abnormal nerve regeneration occurring as a consequence of the spontaneous autonomic neuropathy.     

Iliacus hematoma syndrome.

In a patient receiving warfarin and heparin in the treatment of pulmonary embolism, a hematoma developed in the iliacus muscle, compressing the overlying femoral nerve. Femoral nerve paralysis ensued, causing inability to walk, pain and loss of sensation in the sensory distribution of the nerve. Surgical intervention and removal of the hematoma relieved the nerve compression and the condition gradually improved.     

Percutaneous Radio-Frequency Rhizotomy in the Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia

A percutaneous technique of selective partial trigeminal root coagulation was evaluated in the treatment of 38 patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia, 1 patient with pain secondary to oral carcinoma and 1 patient with atypical facial pain. The pain of trigeminal neuralgia was relieved in 94.7 percent of patients. Pain was relieved in the patient with oral carcinoma, but not in the patient with atypical facial pain. There was no mortality and no permanent morbidity outside of the trigeminal nerve lesion. The procedure requires only a brief hospital stay without the time, expense and hazards of open cranial surgical procedures.     

家兔迟发性面瘫模型建立及药物干预研究

目的:优化迟发性面瘫的建模方法,并对药物的神经保护作用进行观察。方法:家兔48只共96侧面神经,分A、B、C、D 4个实验组,以一侧面神经进行实验处理,另一侧为自身对照。A组:直视下钳夹损伤桥池段面神经;B组:直视下向桥小脑角注射动脉血,以诱导血管痉挛;C组:处理因素=A组+B组;D组:在C组基础上,应用药物(强的松+丹参+维生素B1+维生素B12)干预。观察家兔面瘫,并做面神经病理切片,比较各组间迟发性面瘫发生率、面瘫持续时间及预后。结果:面瘫发生情况:A组6只家兔(6/11,54.5%)出现迟发性面瘫;平均面瘫持续时间为13.2天。B组有2只(2/12,16.7%)出现迟发性面瘫,平均持续8天。C组6只(6/12,50%)家兔出现迟发性面瘫,平均持续14.3天。D组4只(4/12,33.33%)出现迟发性面瘫,平均持续6天。所有自身对照侧均无面瘫发生。病理:各组均见神经纤维水肿;A、C两组呈高度水肿改变,神经束周围结构紊乱;B组见神经内血管细小,而水肿较A、C两组轻微;D组呈轻度水肿改变。结论:C组出现迟发性面瘫几率高,是较好的模型;联合应用强的松、丹参、维生素B1、维生素B12虽不能防止迟发性面瘫发生,但可使迟发性面瘫病程明显缩短。     

家兔迟发性面瘫模型建立及药物干预研究

目的：优化迟发性面瘫的建模方法,并对药物的神经保护作用进行观察。方法：家兔48只共96侧面神经,分A、B、C、D4个实验组,以一侧面神经进行实验处理,另一侧为自身对照。A组：直视下钳夹损伤桥池段面神经;B组：直视下向桥小脑角注射动脉血,以诱导血管痉挛;C组：处理因素=A组＋B组;D组：在C组基础上,应用药物（强的松＋丹参＋维生素BI＋维生素B12）干预。观察家兔面瘫,并做面神经病理切片,比较各组间迟发性面瘫发生率、面瘫持续时间及预后。结果：面瘫发生情况：A组6只家兔（6／11,54．5％）出现迟发性面瘫;平均面瘫持续时间为13．2天。B组有2只（2／12,16．7％）出现迟发性面瘫,平均持续8天。C组6只（6／12,50％）家兔出现迟发性面瘫,平均持续14.3天。D组4只（4／12,33．33％）出现迟发性面瘫,平均持续6天。所有自身对照侧均无面瘫发生。病理：各组均见神经纤维水肿;A、c两组呈高度水肿改变,神经束周围结构紊乱;B组见神经内血管细小,而水肿较A、C两组轻微;D组呈轻度水肿改变。结论：C组出现迟发性面瘫几率高,是较好的模型;联合应用强的松、丹参、维生素B1、维生素B12虽不能防止迟发性面瘫发生,但可使迟发性面瘫病程明显缩短。     

The Ocular Sequelae of Third Cranial Nerve Palsy

The ocular sequelae in nineteen patients who had suffered from a complete paralysis of the third cranial nerve were analyzed. In eleven of these patients, the paralysis was associated with an aneurysm of the internal carotid artery system. None of the cases in this group showed complete recovery of the third nerve function; however, six recovered sufficiently to permit binocular single vision in most fields of gaze. Two cases of aberrant regeneration of the third nerve were diagnosed.Trauma accounted for four cases of third nerve paralysis. One of these recovered completely and one showed features of aberrant regeneration. Of the cases of oculomotor paralysis associated with herpes zoster ophthalmicus, encephalitis, or an obscure etiology (two cases), all recovered completely.     

口腔修复膜植入预防腮腺手术后Frey综合征

目的:观察口腔修复膜(异种脱细胞真皮基质)植入对腮腺术后Frey综合征的预防作用。方法:我科近五年来施行的腮腺手术病人共75例,其中35例选择在皮瓣与腮腺床之间植入口腔修复膜,术后随访1-2年,以患者主观症状判断是否存在Frey综合征。结果:在未使用口腔修复膜的患者中,有29例(72.5%)出现Frey综合征的症状,在使用修复膜的患者中只有1例(2.9%)出现症状。两组之间有显著性差异(P<0.01)。结论:口腔修复膜(异种脱细胞真皮基质)能有效预防腮腺手术后Frey综合征的发生。     

Clinical nerve reconstruction with a bioabsorbable polyglycolic acid tube

Microneurosurgical techniques to reconstruct nerve gaps with nerve grafts frequently fail to achieve excellent functional results and create donor-site morbidity. In the present study, 15 patients had gaps of 0.5 to 3.0 cm (mean 1.7 cm) in digital nerves reconstructed by one surgeon with a bioabsorbable polyglycolic acid (PGA) tube. A final evaluation of sensibility was done by a second surgeon at a mean postoperative interval of 22.4 months (range 11 to 32 months). These were all secondary reconstructions. The evaluation included a digital nerve block with local anesthetic for the intact (not reconstructed) digital nerve. Excellent functional sensation (moving two-point discrimination less than or equal to 3 mm and/or static two-point discrimination less than or equal to 6 mm) was present in 33 percent and good functional sensation (moving two-point discrimination of 4 to 7 mm and/or static two-point discrimination of 7 to 15 mm) in 53 percent of the digital nerve reconstructions. One patient with poor sensory recovery and one with no recovery were judged as functional failures (14 percent). Absence of pain at the site of reconstruction was judged by the patient to be excellent in 40 percent, good in 33 percent, and poor in 27 percent. We conclude that reconstruction of nerve gaps of up to 3.0 cm with a bioabsorbable PGA tube gives clinical results at least comparable to the classic nerve graft technique while avoiding donor-site morbidity.     

Dynamic restoration in Möbius and Möbius-like patients

M?bius syndrome is classically characterized by bilateral facial nerve and abducens nerve paralysis in combination with limb defects. In the past 110 years, physicians diagnosed children as having the syndrome on the basis of heterogeneity of symptoms and used the term "M?bius syndrome" or "M?bius-like syndrome" for patients with multiple cranial nerve involvement. The cause and the exact pathogenesis of the syndrome still elude understanding. Genetic work-ups, radiological findings, and data from autopsies differ in their approaches and their findings of the basic causes of M?bius syndrome. In the international literature, about 301 case reports are found scattered through the past century. The appearance of the facial deformity is easy to recognize, because the M?bius patient is impaired in his or her ability to communicate nonverbally. Despite ophthalmologic problems, it is the search for a smile that brings these patients to the reconstructive surgeon. Over the past 100 years, surgical efforts attempted to improve the mask-like appearance by static and dynamic procedures, usually local muscle transpositions. Today, combinations of microsurgical procedures and aesthetic techniques are being used to restore some movement to the expressionless face of these patients by nerve and muscle transplantation. This article discusses the heterogeneity of M?bius syndrome, advocates a new classification system, presents the clinical findings of 42 patients who were seen and examined in consultation, and discusses the surgical management of 20 patients who underwent dynamic restorative microsurgery. Exemplary cases illustrating the preoperative work-up regimen and possible outcomes are reported.