title: Effect of postoperative brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy on functional outcomes of immediate facial nerve repair after radical parotidectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is much controversy regarding the effect of radiotherapy on facial nerve regeneration. However, the effect of brachytherapy has not been studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three patients underwent total parotidectomy of which 13 were radical with immediate facial nerve repair with sural nerve grafts. Six patients (group 1) did not receive adjuvant treatment whereas 7 patients (group 2) received postoperative brachytherapy plus radiotherapy. Functional outcomes were compared using Facial Clima.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean percentage of blink recovery was 92.6 ± 4.2 for group 1 and 90.7 ± 5.2 for group 2 (p = .37). Mean percentage of commissural excursion restoration was 78.1 ± 3.5 for group 1 and 74.9 ± 5.9 for group 2 (p = .17). Mean time from surgery to first movement was 5.7 ± 0.9 months for group 1 and 6.3 ± 0.5 months for group 2 (p = .15).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brachytherapy plus radiotherapy does not affect the functional outcomes of immediate facial nerve repair with nerve grafts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Navarra, Spain.
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hontanilla
authors.forename: Shan-Shan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marré
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000601:surgery*; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000637:transplantation
keywords: brachytherapy; facial nerve reconstruction; facial paralysis; parotidectomy; radiotherapy