title: Leprosy affects facial nerves in a scattered distribution from the main trunk to all peripheral branches and neurolysis improves muscle function of the face.
abstract: Current literature rejects nerve release in leprous facial neuropathy and states that lesions are restricted to the peripheral zygomatic branches. Since there are approximately 500,000 patients with this disease throughout the world, we wanted to clarify the precise location of facial nerve's affection and the benefit of neurolysis. Our study showed that in patients with leprosy, the facial nerve's main trunk, the peripheral zygomatic branches, and all other branches were affected. Follow-up showed improvement in lagophthalmos and in misreinnervation, with no improvement in the control cohort. Nerve release improves muscle function in leprous facial neuropathy, provided surgery is performed on all affected segments. Intraoperative electroneurodiagnostics is an effective tool for detecting the most proximal site of lesion and ensuring effective surgery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Clinical Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology of the University of Vienna, Austria. edvin@turkof.com
authors.forename: Edvin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Turkof
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: Ojan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Assadian
authors.forename: Bharat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khatri
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Knolle
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lucas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D015439:Leprosy, Borderline / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome