title: Using an end-to-side interposed sural nerve graft for facial nerve reinforcement after vestibular schwannoma resection. Technical note.
abstract: Increasing rates of facial and cochlear nerve preservation after vestibular schwannoma surgery have been achieved in the last 30 years. However, the management of a partially or completely damaged facial nerve remains an important issue. In such a case, several immediate or delayed repair techniques have been used. On the basis of recent studies of successful end-to-side neurorrhaphy, the authors applied this technique in a patient with an anatomically preserved but partially injured facial nerve during vestibular schwannoma surgery. The authors interposed a sural nerve graft to reinforce the facial nerve whose partial anatomical continuity had been preserved. On follow-up examinations 18 months after surgery, satisfactory cosmetic results for facial nerve function were observed. The end-to-side interposed nerve graft appears to be a reasonable alternative in cases of partial facial nerve injury, and might be a future therapeutic option for other cranial nerve injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, International Neuroscience Institute, Hannover, Germany. samii@ini-hannover.de
authors.forename: Madjid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samii
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koerbel
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Safavi-Abbasi
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Rocco
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samii
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gharabaghi
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D003399:Craniotomy; D004576:Electromyography; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000294:innervation; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000637:transplantation*
chemical_list: D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive