title: [Descending hypoglossal branch-facial nerve anastomosis in treating unilateral facial palsy after acoustic neuroma resection].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficiency of the descending hypoglossal branch-facial nerve anastomosis for the severe facial palsy after acoustic neuroma resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of 14 patients (6 males, 8 females, average age 45. 6 years old) underwent descending hypoglossal branch-facial nerve anastomosis for treatment of unilateral facial palsy was analyzed retrospectively. All patients previously had undergone resection of a large acoustic neuroma. House-Brackmann (H-B) grading system was used to evaluate the pre-, post-operative and follow up facial nerve function status. 12 cases (85.7%) had long follow up, with an average follow-up period of 24. 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  6 patients had good outcome (H-B 2 - 3 grade); 5 patients had fair outcome (H-B 3 - 4 grade) and 1 patient had poor outcome (H-B 5 grade) Only 1 patient suffered hemitongue myoparalysis owing to the operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Descending hypoglossal branch-facial nerve anastomosis is effective for facial reanimation, and it has little impact on the function of chewing, swallowing and pronunciation of the patients compared with the traditional hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis.
authors.forename: Jiantao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Mingchu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hongchuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Qiuhang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuhai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bao
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000601:surgery*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies