Abstract
Objectives:
Analyze outcomes after static sling suspension and orthodromic temporalis tendon transfer reanimation for facial nerve paralysis after definitive cancer resection with flap reconstruction.
Methods:
Prospectively collected case series in which patient data were collected prospectively from 2004 to 2013 for patients undergoing reconstruction and facial reanimation after resection of malignancy which involved facial nerve sacrifice. Thirty patients were selected for 2 cohorts: static sling suspension (n = 18) and orthodromic temporalis tendon transfer (n = 12). Revision rates, length of stay, complications, time to follow-up, and postoperative symmetry were compared between the 2 groups.
Results:
Of the 30 patients, 18 underwent static suspension and 12 underwent temporalis tendon transfer. In the static sling group, 6 patients (33%) were advised to undergo revision compared with 2 in the temporalis tendon group (17%; P = .31). Only 4 patients underwent revision, 3 from the static group and 1 from the temporalis transfer group. Suture size, average number of sutures used to suspend the face, timing of procedure, radiation history, and flap reconstruction played no significant role between patients requiring revision surgery and those that did not. Of the patients requiring revision in the static sling group, 33% had undergone preoperative radiotherapy compared with 0% in the temporalis tendon transfer group (P = .35). The remaining patients either underwent adjuvant therapy or were observed.
Conclusions:
There was no significant difference between the reconstruction methods. Static sling was performed more commonly at time of flap reconstruction.
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