title: Classic hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis after acoustic neuroma resection. A review of 46 cases.
abstract: To clarify the factors contributing to patient satisfaction with facial movement after the classic hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis, we examined 46 such patients who consented to an interview and video-recording. No correlation was seen between the physician's evaluation of returned function (according to Yanagihara's 40-point scale and the grading system of House-Brackmann) and the scores (full marks: 100 points) the patients assigned to their own facial movements. Instead the scores that the patients assigned were closely related to subjective oral dysfunction, such as difficulty in masticating, articulating, and swallowing. Those scores did not correlate with eye-related functional deficits. These findings indicate that modified techniques to minimize the hypoglossal nerve deficit may enhance patient satisfaction without sacrificing recovery of facial movements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan. takanobu@kunihiro.name
authors.forename: Takanobu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kunihiro
authors.forename: Kazutaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Higashino
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kanzaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014059:Tongue / Q000473:pathology