title: Results of anterior facial nerve rerouting procedures for removing skull base tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to estimate the rates of functional recovery of the facial nerve and of total tumor resection in patients who undergo short anterior rerouting and long anterior rerouting of the facial nerve in removal of skull base tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively collected data on 37 patients with skull base tumors who underwent facial nerve rerouting during the procedure for tumor removal. Information on the rerouting technique, the completeness of tumor resection, and changes in facial nerve function were obtained from the medical records. Rerouting techniques were classified as short anterior rerouting or long anterior rerouting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten of 16 patients (62.5%) in the group with short anterior rerouting showed postoperative facial palsy, and all completely recovered within 1 year. In the group with long anterior rerouting, 18 of 21 patients (85.7%) showed postoperative facial palsy, and recovery to a preoperative level of facial function was found in 10 patients at 1 year of follow-up. Total tumor resection was possible in 94% and 81% of patients with short rerouting and long rerouting, respectively. The mean operation time was not significantly related to the postoperative recovery of facial function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short rerouting techniques, when appropriately chosen on the basis of tumor and patient characteristics, offer excellent preservation of facial function and tumor resection, comparable to those of long rerouting techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine (Yi, Chung), Seoul.
authors.forename: Jong Sook
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Hyun Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Young Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Seung Hyo
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Yang-Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jong Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: facial function; facial nerve injury; recovery of function; skull base neoplasm; surgical procedure