Recovery of facial palsy after crossed facial nerve grafts.

Crossed facial nerve grafts for treating congenital or acquired permanent facial palsy were studied in 23 patients, ages ranging from 2 months to 38 years. Patients were divided into groups according to time after onset of paralysis. It is concluded that although crossed facial nerve grafts offered the possibility of reinnervation after facial palsy, the degree of recovery was critically dependent upon the time after onset of the facial palsy before the reinnervation procedure.