• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.769-777
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• 2017

Objective: Facial nerve palsy is caused by damage to the 7th cranial nerve. It is the main symptom of facial muscle paralysis on the affected side. Usually, recovery from this disease begins 2-3 weeks after onset and most patients recover in 4-8 weeks. If the patients cannot receive proper treatment, severe permanent impairments, both physical and mental, may remain, so this disease should be treated appropriately. In this study, a patient with facial nerve palsy was admitted to the Korean medicine hospital for treatment. We report on the patient's progress and the effects of treatment. Methods: We cured the patient with herbal medicines, acupuncture, herbal acupuncture therapy, and physical therapy. We used a numerical rating scale, the House Brackmann grading system, and a weighted regional grading system to assess symptom changes. Result: The patient with facial nerve palsy was hospitalized for 23 days and recovered from symptoms without significant problems on the face or in motor function.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2019

Background The masseter nerve is a useful donor nerve for reconstruction in patients with established facial palsy, with numerous advantages including low morbidity, a strong motor impulse, high reliability, and fast reinnervation. In this study, we assessed the results of masseter nerve-innervated free gracilis muscle transfer in established facial palsy patients. Methods Ten patients with facial palsy who received treatment from January 2015 to January 2017 were enrolled in this study. Three patients received masseter nerve-only free gracilis transfer, and seven received double-innervated free gracilis transfer (masseter nerve and a cross-face nerve graft). Patients were evaluated using the Facial Assessment by Computer Evaluation software (FACEgram) to quantify oral commissure excursion and symmetry at rest and when smiling after muscle transfer. Results The mean time between surgery and initial movement was roughly 167.7 days. A statistically significant increase in excursion at rest and when smiling was seen after muscle transfer. There was a significant increase in the distance of oral commissure excursion at rest and when smiling. A statistically significant increase was observed in symmetry when smiling. Terzis' functional and aesthetic grading scores showed significant improvements postoperatively. Conclusions Masseter nerve innervation is a good option with many uses in in established facial palsy patients. For some conditions, it is the first-line treatment. Free gracilis muscle transfer using the masseter nerve has excellent results with good symmetry and an effective degree of recovery.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.633-641
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• 2022

Introduction In chronic facial palsy, synkinetic muscle overactivity and shortening causes muscle stiffness resulting in reduced movement and functional activity. This article studies the role of multimodal therapy in improving outcomes. Methods Seventy-five facial palsy patients completed facial rehabilitation before being successfully discharged by the facial therapy team. The cohort was divided into four subgroups depending on the time of initial attendance post-onset. The requirement for facial therapy, chemodenervation, or surgery was assessed with East Grinstead Grade of Stiffness (EGGS). Outcomes were measured using the Facial Grading Scale (FGS), Facial Disability Index, House-Brackmann scores, and the Facial Clinimetric Evaluation scale. Results FGS composite scores significantly improved posttherapy (mean-standard deviation, 60.13 ± 23.24 vs. 79.9 ± 13.01; confidence interval, -24.51 to -14.66, p < 0.0001). Analysis of FGS subsets showed that synkinesis also reduced significantly (p < 0.0001). Increasingly, late clinical presentations were associated with patients requiring longer durations of chemodenervation treatment (p < 0.01), more chemodenervation episodes (p < 0.01), increased doses of botulinum toxin (p < 0.001), and having higher EGGS score (p < 0.001). Conclusions This study shows that multimodal facial rehabilitation in the management of facial palsy is effective, even in patients with chronically neglected synkinesis. In terms of the latency periods between facial palsy onset and treatment initiation, patients presenting later than 2 years were still responsive to multimodal treatment albeit to a lesser extent, which we postulate is due to increasing muscle contracture within their facial muscles.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.382-391
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• 2020

Facial palsy has a broad clinical presentation and the effects on psychosocial interaction and facial functions can be devastating. Pediatric facial palsy, in particular, introduces unique familial and technical considerations as anatomy, future growth potential, and patient participation influence treatment planning. Though some etiologies of pediatric facial palsy are self-limiting, congenital and long-standing facial palsies pose difficult challenges that require a combination of surgical, adjunctive, and rehabilitative techniques to achieve facial reanimation. Given the spectrum of ages and symptom severity, as well as the various surgical options available for facial palsy, a tailored approach needs to be developed for each child to restore facial balance and function. Here, we review the etiologies, workup, and treatment of pediatric facial palsy and present our novel algorithmic approach to treatment.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.716-721
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• 2014

Background The aim of this study was to review the recipient vessels used in our cases of facial reanimation with free functional muscle transfer and to identify patient variables that may predict when the facial vessels are absent. From this we present a protocol for vessel selection in cases when the facial artery and/or vein are absent. Methods Patients were identified from November 2006 to October 2013. Data was collected on patient demographics, facial palsy aetiology, history of previous facial surgery/trauma and flap/recipient vessels used. A standard operative approach was adopted and performed by a single surgeon. Results Eighty-seven eligible patients were identified for inclusion amongst which 98 hemifaces were operated upon. The facial artery and vein were the most commonly used recipient vessels (90% and 83% of patients, respectively). Commonly used alternative vessels were the transverse facial vein and superficial temporal artery. Those with congenital facial palsy were significantly more likely to lack a suitable facial vein (P=0.03) and those with a history of previous facial surgery or trauma were significantly more likely to have an absent facial artery and vein (P<0.05). Conclusions Our algorithm can help to guide vessel selection cases of facial reanimation with free functional muscle transfer. Amongst patients with congenital facial palsy or in those with a previous history of facial surgery or trauma, the facial vessels are more likely to be absent and so the surgeon should then look towards the transverse facial vein and superficial temporal artery as alternative recipient structures.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.278-281
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• 2021

Facial palsy (FP) is a functional disorder of the facial nerve involving paralysis of the mimic muscles. According to the principle "time is muscle," early surgical treatment is tremendously important for preserving the mimic musculature if there are no signs of nerve function recovery. In a 49-year-old female patient, even 19 months after onset of FP, successful neurotization was still possible by a V-to-VII nerve transfer and cross-face nerve grafting. Our patient suffered from complete FP after vestibular schwannoma surgery. With continuous application of electrostimulation (ES) therapy, the patient was able to bridge the period between the first onset of FP and neurotization surgery. The significance of ES for mimic musculature preservation in FP patients has not yet been fully clarified. More attention should be paid to this form of therapy in order to preserve the facial musculature, and its benefits should be evaluated in further prospective clinical studies.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.695-706
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• 2021

Objectives: This study reports a case of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) in which the patient experienced improved limb weakness, facial paralysis, paresthesia, and systemic pain after Korean medicine treatment. Methods: A 25-year-old female patient diagnosed with GBS received the herbal medicine Banhasasim-tang Soft Ext., acupuncture, electroacupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and rehabilitation treatment. To confirm the change in symptoms, the manual muscle test (MMT), Korean Version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), Yanagihara grading system (Y-score) and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) were performed. Results: After Korean medicine treatment, there was a significant improvement in GBS-related clinical symptoms. Conclusions: Korean medicine treatment could be effective in improving symptoms of limb weakness, facial paralysis, paresthesia, and systemic pain related to GBS. However, this study has limitations as a case report, and more studies are needed.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.170-174
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• 2021

A patient diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) suffering from numbness in the toes and fingers, paralysis in the face, and back pain received intravenous immunoglobulin on December 28, 2019. Without an improvement in symptoms the patient was admitted to a Korean medicine hospital on January 1, 2020 to receive combined Korean medicine treatment including herbal medicine (Sipjeondaebo-tanggami and Hyangbujasunkipalmul-tang), acupuncture treatment, moxibustion, cupping treatment, and physical therapy. Treatment was administered over 51 days, of which 17 days were during hospitalization. Paralysis of facial muscle, and numbness in fingers and toes were evaluated using the Yanagihara score and numeric rating scale (NRS) score, respectively. Facial paralysis improved (21 to 40 based on Yanagihara score) and paresthesia of the hands and feet disappeared (NRS score 6-7 to NRS score 0). There were no side effects or sequela. This study suggested combined Korean medicine treatment may be effective for the treatment of GBS.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.100-111
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• 2002

Objectives : In order to obtain the clinical type of facial palsy sequelae and try to make the treatment protocols for each, I observed patients who visited Gunpo-Wonkwang oriental medicine center with Bell’s palsy sequelae that were treated over three months. Methods : I make the value standard of muscle paralysis, contraction, synkinesis and acquired the results as follows. Results and Conclusions : 1. The distribution of age and sex was as follows : females of 41-50 years were the most common demographic, females of 51-60 years and males of 31-40 years were the second, males of 51-60 years were the third, females of 21-30 years and males of over 60 years were the fourth, and males of 41-50 years were the fifth. 2. The distributions of period of disease were as follows : 3-6 months was the most, 12-18 months was the second, 6-12 months and over 24 months was the third, and 18-24 months was the fourth. 3. The sequelae distributions of disease were as follows. In the group of 3-6 months, 12 persons (80%) showed palsy and atrophy, 10 persons (66.6%) showed synkinetics. In the group of over 6 months, all patients showed muscle palsy, muscle atrophy and synkinetics. All groups showed lower sensitivity of muscles, but the group of 18-24 months and the group of over 24 months showed more. Tinnitus was shown by the groups of 12-18 months and 3-6 months. Facial muscle pain was shown by the group of3-6 months only, Crocodile's tear was shown by the groups of 18-24 months and over 24 months. 4. The total palsy rates of sequela patients and palsy rates by muscle for disease period were as follows. The total palsy rate was 27.94%; the palsy rates for the group of 6-12 months and the group of over 24 months was lower than the total palsy rate. The rates of the groups of 3-6, 12-18, 18-24 months were higher than the total palsy rate. The palsy rate of zygomatic minor, levator labii superior muscle was higher than the total palsy rate for all groups. 5. Synkinetics manifestation rates by disease period were as follows. Total synkinetics manifestation rate was 73.81 %; the manifestation rate of the group of 6-12 months was lower than total synkinetics manifestation rate. For the groups of 12-18, 18-24, and over 24 months it was more than the total synkinetics manifestation rate. The group of over 24 months, total synkinetics induced by orbicularis oculi muscle and orbicularis oris muscle. 6. Facial muscle atrophy rates by disease period were as follows. Total atrophy rate was 5.26%; in the groups of 6-12, 18-24, over 24 months, the atrophy rates were higher than the total atrophy rate. The groups of 3-6 and 12-18 months showed lower than the total atrophy rates, while the atrophy of the levator palpebrae superioris muscle and levator palpebrae inferioris muscle was higher than in other groups.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.470-476
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• 2018

Facial motor evoked potential (FMEP) by multi-pulse transcranial electrical stimulation (mpTES) can complement free-running electromyography (EMG) and direct facial nerve stimulation to predict the functional integrity of the facial nerve during cerebello-pontine angle (CPA) tumor surgery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the standardized test methods and the usefulness of FMEP as a predictor of facial nerve function and to minimize the incidence of facial paralysis as an aftereffect of surgery. TES was delivered through electrode Mz (cathode) - M3/M4 (anode), and extracranially direct distal facial muscle excitation was excluded by the absence of single pulse response (SPR) and by longer onset latency (more than 10 ms). FMEP from the orbicularis oris (o.oris) and the mentalis muscle simultaneously can improve the accuracy and success rate compared with FMEP from the o.oris alone. Using the methods described, we can effectively predict facial nerve outcomes immediately after surgery with a reduction of more than 50% of FMEP amplitude as a warning criterion. In conclusion, along with free-running EMG and direct facial nerve stimulation, FMEP is a useful method to reduce the incidence of facial paralysis as a sequela during CPA tumor surgery.