Regeneration of facial nerve after hypoglossal facial anastomosis: an animal study.
Hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis was carried out in 20 adult guinea pigs. Electromyographic responses of orbicularis oculi muscle evoked by blink reflex were recorded 2, 4, and 6 months after surgery. Then the anastomotic site was reopened, and a segment of buccal branch and the anastomotic trunk were resected for detailed histologic study. Regenerated axons were counted and the cross-sectional area of axons and fasciculi was measured. Data obtained from both blink reflex measurement and histologic study demonstrate a good quality of regeneration of the facial nerve from the hypoglossal nerve completed 6 months after the operation. In addition a new nerve bundle was regenerated from the proximal stump of the facial nerve connecting to the anastomotic site in 80% of the animals. Postoperative change in innervation pattern of the facial nerve was also illustrated.
Chen
Y S
YS
Department of Otolaryngology, Provincial Taipei Hospital, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Yanagihara
N
N
Murakami
S
S
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology; D004576:Electromyography; D005149:Facial Expression; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000601:surgery* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors