Gracilis Free Muscle Transfer in the Treatment of Pediatric Facial Paralysis.
Facial paralysis in children is a disabling functional and aesthetic issue. In cases where recovery is not expected, there are numerous options for reconstruction of the midface "smile." At the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, we have been using a free functional gracilis muscle transfer. In this article, we review the technical details of the procedure, which we have refined over the past 30 years, and also briefly discuss secondary and adjunctive procedures.
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Pundrique R
PR
Sharma
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Ronald M
RM
Zuker
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Gregory H
GH
Borschel
D002648:Child; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000601:surgery*; D000071976:Gracilis Muscle / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012904:Smiling; D013524:Surgical Flaps