• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.303-309
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• 2021

Background: Transferring the hypoglossal nerve to the facial nerve using an end-to-end method is very effective for improving facial motor function. However, this technique may result in hemitongue atrophy. The ansa cervicalis, which arises from the cervical plexus, is also used for facial reanimation. We retrospectively reviewed cases where facial reanimation was performed using the ansa cervicalis to overcome the shortcomings of existing techniques of hypoglossal nerve transfer. Methods: The records of 15 patients who underwent hypoglossal nerve transfer were retrospectively reviewed. Three methods were used: facial reanimation with hypoglossal nerve transfer (group 1), facial nerve reanimation using the ansa cervicalis (group 2), and sural nerve interposition grafting between the hypoglossal nerve and facial nerve (group 3). In group 1, the ansa cervicalis was coapted to neurotize the distal stump of the hypoglossal nerve in a subset of patients. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the House-Brackmann (H-B) grading system and Emotrics software. Results: All patients in group 1 (n= 4) achieved H-B grade IV facial function and showed improvements in the oral commissure angle at rest (preoperative vs. postoperative difference, 6.48° ± 0.77°) and while smiling (13.88° ± 2.00°). In groups 2 and 3, the oral commissure angle slightly improved at rest (group 2: 0.95° ± 0.53°, group 3: 1.35° ± 1.02°) and while smiling (group 2: 2.06° ± 0.67°, group 3: 1.23° ± 0.56°). In group 1, reduced tongue morbidity was found in patients who underwent ansa cervicalis transfer. Conclusion: Facial reanimation with hypoglossal nerve transfer, in combination with hypoglossal nerve neurotization using the ansa cervicalis for complete facial palsy patients, might enable favorable facial reanimation outcomes and reduce tongue morbidity. Facial reanimation using the ansa cervicalis or sural nerve for incomplete facial palsy patients did not lead to remarkable improvements, but it warrants further investigation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.167-170
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• 2011

Isolated hypoglossal nerve paresis due to mechanical compression from a vascular lesion is very rare. We present a case of a 32-year-old man who presented with spontaneous abrupt-onset dysarthria, swallowing difficulty and left-sided tongue atrophy. Brain computed tomographic angiography and magnetic resonance imaging of the brainstem demonstrated an abnormal course of the left vertebral artery compressing the medulla oblongata at the exit zone of the hypoglossal rootlets that was relieved by microvascular decompression of the offending intracranial vertebral artery. This case supports the hypothesis that hypoglossal nerve palsy can be due to nerve stretching and compression by a pulsating normal vertebral artery. Microvascular decompression of the intracranial nerve and careful evaluation of the imaging studies can resolve unexpected isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.85-88
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• 1999

Neurinoma originates from any nerve covered with a Schwann cell sheath and can occur in any cranial, sympathetic, or peripheral nerve. Hypoglossal neurinomas are rare and most of them are intracranial, but they may extend extracranially. Most intracranial neurinoma arise from the sensory division of cranial nerve but a motor nerve such as hypoglossal nerve is rarely involved. Although the typical sign of hypoglossal neurinoma is ipsilateral hemiatrophy of the tongue, it is easily overlooked. For the diagnosis of hypoglossal nerve tumor, CT scanning with contrast enhancement and MRI should be included, and they are greatly aids in planning the radical removal of the tumor. We experienced a case of intracranial hypoglossal neurinoma with extracranial extension in a 43-year-old woman. The patient showed otherwise unremarkable except 4 months history of right infraauricular mass and right tongue hemiatrophy. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging for local diagnosis was valuable and we could remove the mass by one stage operation via suboccipital transcervical approach.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.74-77
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• 2006

Repetitive nerve stimulation is a simple and widely used technique to demonstrate neuromuscular transmission defect. A significant decremental response for repetitive hypoglossal nerve stimulation was obtained from the surface recordings in the tongue of a patient with dysarthria and dysphagia. Repetitive hypoglossal nerve stimulation test may be useful in diagnosis of myasthenia gravis with bulbar symptoms only. We utilized repetitive hypoglossal nerve stimulation with tongue recordings and diagnosed a case of myasthenia gravis.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.80-83
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• 2009

Purpose: Isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy is a rare manifestation of various underlying disease. This article presents a rare complication of general anesthesia associated with an surgical procedure on a case of zygomatic fracture. Methods: An 18-year-old female patient was referred to our department by painful swelling on her left zygomatic area after the traffic accident. Left zygomatic complex fracture was identified on the simple x-ray and facial bone CT scan, and the fracture was treated with open reduction and internal fixation under general anesthesia. On the first postoperative day, she complained of difficulty in swallowing solid food, dysarthria and deviated tongue to her right side. There was no abnormal findings on the neurological examination, brain MRI and routine chemistry. She was diagnosed with transient hypoglossal nerve palsy and dexamethasone with multi-vitamins was administrated intravenously for 5 days. Results: The symptoms were completely resolved by the ninth postoperative day and the patient was discharged without any other complications. Conclusion: The hypoglossal(cranial nerve XII)nerve supplies motor innervation to all of the ipsilateral extrinsic and intrinsic tongue muscles. The hypoglossal nerve damage may caused by the compression between the airway and the hyoid bone during the endotracheal intubation, and direct trauma due to excessive pressure or neck extension. We described a rare case of unintended injury to hypoglossal nerve and care must be taken not to cause the hypoglossal nerve damage especially in facial plastic surgery with excessive neck extension under general anesthesia.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.69-72
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• 2000

The neurilemmoma is a relatively uncommon benign neoplasm which is known to be originated from the schwann sheath of the nerve fiber. Parapharyngeal neurilemmomas may originate from any nerve traversing this space, but the vast majority arise from the vagus nerve and sympathetic chain. The neurilemmomas arising from the extracranial portion of the hypoglossal nerve are extremely rare. To our knowledge, the case we present is the ninth one to be reported occurring in the parapharyngeal space. Recently we experienced a case of parapharyngeal neurilemmoma arising from the hypoglossal nerve and so we report our case with a brief review of literatures.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.207-210
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• 2002

Schwannoma is a relatively rare benign tumor which may occur from nerve sheath of the peripheral, sympathetic and cranial nerves and so on except optic and olfactory nerves which have no nerve sheath themselves. Although it occur most frequently in the head and neck region especially in the acoustic nerve, the schwannoma originated from the motor nerves including hypoglossal nerve is very rare. Recently, we have experienced a case of schwannoma originated from hypoglossal nerve in a 47-year-old female. We report this case with literature review.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.74-77
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• 2010

Isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy is a rare clinical condition and it causes deviation of the tongue and dysarthria. A 50-year-old female presented with tongue deviation to the left and mild dysarthria. She had no remarkable past medical history except several recent upper respiratory infections. On examination, the other cranial nerves were intact and she had no focal neurological signs. The findings of MRI and MR angiography were normal. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed only mild elevation of protein. We diagnosed her as suffering with idiopathic isolated hypoglossal nerver palsy and we administered steroid therapy. The dysarthria was improved, but the tongue deviation still remained at 50 days after onset. We report here on a rare case of idiopathic isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.41-44
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• 2016

The resection of submandibular gland is usually performed via trascervical, transoral approach. The authors suspected the stenosis of Wharton's duct of 54 years old female patient after transoral removal of submandibular stone and the resection of submandibular gland was decided. Because of cosmetic need, the resection was performed transorally. The operation was completed successfully without any injury to unilateral lingual nerve or hypoglossal nerve but contralateral paralysis of hypoglossal nerve was seen. In our knowledge, this is the first report of contralateral hypoglossal nerve palsy during transoral resection of submandibular gland.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.870-875
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• 2016

Hypoglossal nerve palsy is an uncommon neurologic disorder. We report a 67-year-old Korean male with tongue paralysis due to hypoglossal nerve palsy. He had complaints associated only with tongue paralysis and was treated with herbal medicine and electric acupuncture for 12 days. We evaluated his tongue paralysis severity by a numeric rating scale (NRS) and the angle of tongue deviation. After 12 days of treatment, the NRS score showed improvement of his complaints, and the angle of tongue deviation was decreased. Korean medicine could therefore be an effective treatment choice for hypoglossal nerve palsy.