• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.204-209
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• 2019

For a minimally invasive approach to access the facial nerve, we designed an extended epitympanotomy via a transmastoid approach that has proven useful in cases of traumatic facial nerve palsy and pre-cholesteatoma. To evaluate the surgical exposure through an extended epitympanotomy, six patients with traumatic facial nerve palsy were enrolled in this study. The same surgical technique was used in all patients. Patients were assessed and the degree of facial nerve paralysis was determined prior to surgery, 1-week post-operatively, and 6-months post-operatively using the House-Brackmann grading system. In all cases, surgical exposure was adequate. All patients with traumatic facial nerve palsy were male and the age range was 13 to 83 years. In all cases, the location of the facial nerve damage was limited to the area between the first and second genu. Symptoms of all the patients improved by 6 months post-operation (p=0.024). There were no complications in any of the patients. Extended epitympanotomy is useful for safe, rapid surgical exposure of the attic area, sparing the patient post-operative dimpling, skin incision complications, and lengthy exposure to anesthesia. We suggest that surgery for patients with facial nerve palsy secondary to trauma be performed using this described technique.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.204-209
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• 2019

For a minimally invasive approach to access the facial nerve, we designed an extended epitympanotomy via a transmastoid approach that has proven useful in cases of traumatic facial nerve palsy and pre-cholesteatoma. To evaluate the surgical exposure through an extended epitympanotomy, six patients with traumatic facial nerve palsy were enrolled in this study. The same surgical technique was used in all patients. Patients were assessed and the degree of facial nerve paralysis was determined prior to surgery, 1-week post-operatively, and 6-months post-operatively using the House-Brackmann grading system. In all cases, surgical exposure was adequate. All patients with traumatic facial nerve palsy were male and the age range was 13 to 83 years. In all cases, the location of the facial nerve damage was limited to the area between the first and second genu. Symptoms of all the patients improved by 6 months post-operation (p=0.024). There were no complications in any of the patients. Extended epitympanotomy is useful for safe, rapid surgical exposure of the attic area, sparing the patient post-operative dimpling, skin incision complications, and lengthy exposure to anesthesia. We suggest that surgery for patients with facial nerve palsy secondary to trauma be performed using this described technique.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 2010

Objectives : In parotidectomy, facial nerve dissection technique had been evolved for its safety. Surgical landmarks are important and good guides to facial nerve detection. Conventional exposure and release of the nerve requires hemostat for elevation of parotid tissue from nerve and #11 blade for cutting the parotid away from the nerve. Material and Methods : The rolling the parotid tissue over the nerve after dissecting with Metzembaum scissors instead of knife, lessen pulling trauma and nerve cutting by knife. Eleven superficial parotidectomies since June 2009 were done with rolling technique and preliminary report is presented. Results : Total 11 parotidectomies were done using proposed technique with tolerable complications(temporary facial dysfunction in 4 cases). Conclusion : Rolling method using metzembaum scissors could be applied to parotid operation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.367-375
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• 2019

Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is due to the vascular compression of the facial nerve at its root exit zone (REZ). Microvascular decompression (MVD) of the facial nerve near the REZ is an effective treatment for HFS. In MVD for HFS, intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (INM) has two purposes. The first purpose is to prevent injury to neural structures such as the vestibulocochlear nerve and facial nerve during MVD surgery, which is possible through INM of brainstem auditory evoked potential and facial nerve electromyography (EMG). The second purpose is the unique feature of MVD for HFS, which is to assess and optimize the effectiveness of the vascular decompression. The purpose is achieved mainly through monitoring of abnormal facial nerve EMG that is called as lateral spread response (LSR) and is also partially possible through Z-L response, facial F-wave, and facial motor evoked potentials. Based on the information regarding INM mentioned above, MVD for HFS can be considered as a more safe and effective treatment.

• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.233-240
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• 2013

Objectives The objective and universal grading system for the facial nerve palsy is needed to the objectification of treatment in Oriental medicine. In this study, the facial nerve palsy grading was developed with combination of image processing technique and Nottingham scale. Methods The developed system is composed of measurement part, image processing part, facial nerve palsy evaluation part, and display part. With the video data recorded by webcam at measurement part, the positions of marker were measured at image processing part. In evaluation part, Nottingham scales were calculated in four different facial expressions with measured marker position. The video of facial movement, time history of marker position, and Nottingham scale were displayed in display part. Results & Conclusion The developed system was applied to a normal subject and a abnormal subject with facial nerve palsy. The left-right difference of Nottingham scores was large in the abnormal compared with the normal. In normal case, the change of the length between supraorbital point and infraorbital point was larger than that of the length between lateral canthus and angle of mouth. The abnormal case showed an opposite result. The developed system showed the possibilities of the objective and universal grading system for the facial nerve palsy.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.501-509
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• 2022

Background Acute facial nerve iatrogenic or traumatic injury warrants rapid management with the goal of reestablishing nerve continuity within 72 hours. However, reconstructive efforts should be performed up to 12 months from the time of injury since facial musculature may still be viable and thus facial tone and function may be salvaged. Methods Data of all patients who underwent facial nerve repair following iatrogenic or traumatic injury were retrospectively collected and assessed. Paralysis etiology, demographics, operative data, postoperative course, and outcome were examined. Results Twenty patients underwent facial nerve repair during the years 2004 to 2019. Data were available for 16 of them. Iatrogenic injury was the common category (n = 13, 81%) with parotidectomy due to primary parotid gland malignancy being the common surgery (n = 7, 44%). Nerve repair was most commonly performed during the first 72 hours of injury (n = 12, 75%) and most of the patients underwent nerve graft repair (n = 15, 94%). Outcome was available for 12 patients, all of which remained with some degree of facial paresis. Six patients suffered from complete facial paralysis (50%) and three underwent secondary facial reanimation (25%). There were no major operative or postoperative complications. Conclusion Iatrogenic and traumatic facial nerve injuries are common etiologies of acquired facial paralysis. In such cases, immediate repair should be performed. For patients presenting with facial paralysis following previous surgery or trauma, nerve repair should be considered up to at least 6 months of injury. Longstanding paralysis is best treated with standard facial reanimation procedures.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2012

Objectives : We investigate the characteristics of foot reflex zone acupoint of facial paralysis patients. Methods : In order to make a comparison between facial nerve paralysis patient group and non-facial paralysis group, we measured foot reflex zone acupoint detection in both group of 18 patients who were diagnosticated to facial nerve paralysis and 18 persons who were not. Results : 1. In comparing the means of the foot reflex zone, the measurements of facial nerve paralysis group is different significantly from non-facial paralysis group(p<0.05). 2. The measurement of detection of foot reflex zone acupoints, such as hypophysis(垂體), nose(鼻), cerebrum(大腦), neck(頸項), Trapezius muscle(僧帽筋), eye(眼) and ear(耳) of the facial nerve paralysis group is different significantly in comparison with non-facial paralysis group(p<0.05). But the measurement of detection of foot reflex zone acupoints, such as trigeminal nerve(三叉神經), cerebellum (小腦), kidney(腎), ureter(輸尿管) and urinary bladder(膀胱) of the facial nerve paralysis group is not defferent significantly in comparison with non-facial paralysis group(p>0.05). Conclusions : The results suggest that foot reflex zone can be used in the diagnosis and treatment of facial nerve paralysis.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.131-138
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• 2013

Purpose: The aim of this study is to present a retrospective review of patients who had a sudden onset of facial palsy after trauma and who underwent facial nerve decompression. Methods: The cases of 25 patients who had traumatic facial palsy were reviewed. Facial nerve function was graded according to the House-Brackmann grading scale. According to facial nerve decompression, patients were categorized into the surgical (decompression) group, with 7 patients in the early decompression subgroup and 2 patients in the late decompression subgroup, and the conservative group(16 patients). Results: The facial nerve decompression group included 8 males and 1 female, aged 2 to 86 years old, with a mean age of 40.8. In early facial nerve decompression subgroup, facial palsy was H-B grade I to III in 6 cases (66.7%); H-B grade IV was observed in 1 case(11.1%). In late facial nerve decompression subgroup, 1 patient (11.1%) had no improvement, and the other patient(11.1%) improved to H-B grade III from H-B grade V. A comparison of patients who underwent surgery within 2 weeks to those who underwent surgery 2 weeks later did not show any significant difference in improvement of H-B grades (p>0.05). The conservative management group included 15 males and 1 female, aged 6 to 66 years old, with a mean age of 36. At the last follow up, 15 patients showed H-B grades of I to III(93.7%), and only 1 patient had an H-B grade of IV(6.3%). Conclusion: Generally, we assume that early facial nerve decompression can lead to some recovery from traumatic facial palsy, but a prospective controlled study should and will be prepared to compare of conservative treatment to late decompression.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.89-93
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• 1996

Hemifacial spasm commonly occurs in muscles about the eye, but may also involve or spread to the entire side of the face. One hundred and seventy eight patients with hemifacial spasm visited our Neuro-Pain clinic from January 1992 to April 1996. There were 121 female and 57 male patients, a 2.1:1 ratio respectively. Largest percentages of patients were in the 50 year old range. Among them, 96 patients were treated by facial nerve block or O'Brien block. In most cases, induced facial palsy disappeared within one or two months. Among the 96 patients who received nerve block, 46 patients received a second block within 5 to 24 months. The average interval from first and second nerve block was 11.5 months. After nerve block, all patients were free from spasm for 1 to 21 months. We conclude that facial nerve block is a satisfactory and reliable method for the treatment of facial spasm.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.71-74
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• 2019

Schwannoma is a benign tumor rarely found in the head and neck and much less commonly found in the intraparotid facial nerve. It is a slow-growing encapsulated tumor originating from the Schwann cells or axonal nerve sheath. It can occur anywhere along the course of the facial nerve. Patients may present with symptoms of facial palsy, but the most common presenting symptom is an asymptomatic swelling. Diagnosis is usually difficult before surgical removal and histopathological examination. We report a rare case of intraparotid facial nerve schwannoma in a 57-year-old female who had sustained a mass of the right preauricular area for 3 years. She reported no pain or facial muscle weakness. Enhanced computed tomography findings revealed the impression of pleomorphic adenoma. However, intraoperative gross findings were not characteristic of pleomorphic adenoma, and a frozen biopsy was performed resulting in the impression of a nerve sheath tumor. We performed an extracapsular surgical excision without parotidectomy. Permanent histopathology and immunohistochemistry reports diagnosed the mass as schwannoma. There were no complications including facial palsy after surgery. No recurrence was found at 6 months after surgery.