Outcomes of periocular reconstruction for facial nerve paralysis in cancer patients.

BACKGROUND

Facial nerve paralysis is a common event in patients with head and neck cancer or metastasis of cancer to the parotid region. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of periocular reconstruction for facial nerve paralysis in cancer patients.

METHODS

The medical records of all patients who had undergone periocular surgery for facial nerve paralysis between January of 1999 and December of 2003 were retrospectively reviewed. The outcome measures included the ocular symptoms and signs, improvement in symptoms of exposure keratopathy postoperatively, timing of periocular surgery in relation to radiotherapy, and surgical complications.

RESULTS

Preoperative symptoms included burning sensation (25 of 78 patients), difficulty with vision (30 of 78), frequent use of lubricating drops and ointments (52 of 78), and excessive tearing (37 of 78). The degree of lagophthalmos ranged from 1.5 to 12 mm (mean, 6.5 mm) preoperatively and from 0 to 4.5 mm (mean, 1.5 mm) postoperatively. Seventy-eight patients had gold weight placement; 72 of them also had lateral tarsorrhaphy, 56 had lower eyelid tightening via a lateral tarsal strip procedure in addition to the gold weight and lateral tarsorrhaphy, and 22 had brow elevation in addition to all the above-mentioned procedures. Four also required a medial tarsorrhaphy. All patients reported less dependence on lubricating drops and ointments after periocular surgery. Eighteen of 25 patients who had foreign body sensation as their main preoperative symptom experienced improvement after surgery. Forty-four patients had radiotherapy to the head and neck region. Twenty-seven patients completed radiotherapy before and 17 after periocular reconstruction. Complication rates were low and comparable in both preoperative and postoperative radiation groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Periocular reconstruction for facial paralysis results in improvement of exposure keratopathy and less dependence on lubricating drops and ointments. Complications are minimal and infrequent. The timing of external beam radiotherapy does not affect the outcomes of periocular surgery.