Surgical Treatment of Facial Nerve Disorders

Surgical Procedure:  Facial Nerve Surgery

Indications for Surgery:  Tumors, Infection, Trauma of the Facial Nerve; Facial Paralysis

Anesthesia:  General

Surgical Time:  1 - 4 hours

Hospital Admission:  1 – 3 days, occasional outpatient

Surgical Procedure:  Access to the long and curved course of the facial nerve is provided by Middle Fossa Approach, Transmastoid Approach or approach to the nerve outside the temporal bone in the tissue of the upper neck under the ear.

Miscellaneous:  Therapeutic interventions may include removal of the boney covering of the nerve (decompression), removal of tumors, and grafting of the facial nerve with a donor nerve (sensory branch to the ear) from the neck which allows the nerve to re-grow to the facial muscles achieving movement of the face.