[Greater auricular nerve graft for repair of facial nerve defects].

OBJECTIVE

To retrospectively analysis the clinical data of facial nerve defects repair with greater auricular nerve graft.

METHOD

The transmastoid approach was adopted to repair the facial nerve defects by means of nerve grafting. Preoperative and postoperative facial nerve functions were graded according to the House-Brackmann scale.

RESULT

The patterns of temporal bone fracture in the 8 patients were longitudinal, most lesions occurred in the region of the second genu and its surrounding, preoperatively, all patients had Grade VI function. In 3 patients of facial nerve tumors, the tumors involved multiple nerve segments, and histologic results were all schwannomas, preoperatively, 1 case had Grade III function, 2 cases had Grade V function. In 2 patients of iatrogenic trauma of the facial nerve, the primary disease was chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma, the lesions were localized at the mastoid segment and the second genu respectively. In 1 patient of molten steel burn, the lesions was localized at the tympanic segment, preoperative facial nerve function was Grade VI. In addition to 3 cases lost to follow-up, the remaining patients, 4 recovered to a Grade III, 3 to a Grade VI, 2 to a Grade V and 2 remained at Grade VI.

CONCLUSION

In present study, the most common cause of facial nerve transection was temporal bone fracture. Facial nerve reconstruction by means of greater auricular nerve grafting was a practical and effective method, the best postoperative recovery of facial nerve function was Grade III.