title: Hypoglossal-facial nerve reconstruction using a Y-tube-conduit reduces aberrant synkinetic movements of the orbicularis oculi and vibrissal muscles in rats.
abstract: The facial nerve is the most frequently damaged nerve in head and neck trauma. Patients undergoing facial nerve reconstruction often complain about disturbing abnormal synkinetic movements of the facial muscles (mass movements, synkinesis) which are thought to result from misguided collateral branching of regenerating motor axons and reinnervation of inappropriate muscles. Here, we examined whether use of an aorta Y-tube conduit during reconstructive surgery after facial nerve injury reduces synkinesis of orbicularis oris (blink reflex) and vibrissal (whisking) musculature. The abdominal aorta plus its bifurcation was harvested (N = 12) for Y-tube conduits. Animal groups comprised intact animals (Group 1), those receiving hypoglossal-facial nerve end-to-end coaptation alone (HFA; Group 2), and those receiving hypoglossal-facial nerve reconstruction using a Y-tube (HFA-Y-tube, Group 3). Videotape motion analysis at 4 months showed that HFA-Y-tube group showed a reduced synkinesis of eyelid and whisker movements compared to HFA alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, 07070 Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, 07070 Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Umut
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ozsoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Ear Nose Throat, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, 07070 Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turhan
authors.affiliation: Anatomical Institute I, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Doychin N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Angelov
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, 07070 Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sarikcioglu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005143:Eyelids / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020220:Facial Nerve Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D051381:Rats; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures