Muscle-nerve-muscle neurotization of the orbicularis oris muscle.
BACKGROUND
A denervated half of the orbicularis oris muscle is not reinnervated spontaneously by axon sprouting from the intact contralateral side. The borderline between the facial nerve territories seems to act as a barrier. The muscle-nerve-muscle technique was advocated as a technique to reneurotize a denervated half of the orbicularis oris muscle in cases of marginal mandibular paralysis.


METHODS
This muscle-nerve-muscle neurotization was tried to induce reinnervation of a denervated angle of the mouth in four patients. Grafts were harvested from the sural nerve. Functional recovery was assessed by measurement of facial movements and by electrophysiological examination.


RESULTS
In three of the four cases presented, this technique helped to improve function of the lower lip. The clinical relevance of the results is discussed.
Kermer
C
C
Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Vienna, Austria.
Millesi
W
W
Paternostro
T
T
Nuhr
M
M
D004576:Electromyography; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000294:innervation; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000601:surgery; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008046:Lip / Q000294:innervation*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D016067:Nerve Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000637:transplantation; D016896:Treatment Outcome