Hemifacial spasm: a long term follow-up of patients treated by posterior fossa surgery and facial nerve wrapping.
Sixteen patients with hemifacial spasm were treated by posterior fossa surgery and wrapping of sponge around their facial nerve. A good or excellent result has been obtained in fourteen of the sixteen cases, and in seven cases followed by four years or longer. Two patients had a mild recurrence of their hemifacial spasm after a cessation of their spasm for eighteen months and two years following surgery. Contrary to the experience of other authors a definite vascular abnormality was found in only four cases. In the other twelve cases circumferential fibrosis about the nerve is again proposed as a mechanism for the effectiveness of the procedure.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001158:Arteries; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000098:blood supply; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000294:innervation*; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D013035:Spasm / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*