Facial Animation With Free Functional Gracilis Transfer Innervated by the Cross-Facial Nerve Graft

Background: The treatment of long-standing facial paralysis has always been a challenge for plastic surgery. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that the free functional gracilis transfer innervated by the cross-facial nerve graft (CFNG) is still an ideal option, even though there are many new surgical options available. Methods: A retrospective survey was made on 12 patients who received free functional gracilis transfer innervated by the CFNG. A modified version of the House-Brackmann scale was used to evaluate the movement of the corners of mouth after surgery. Patients were also asked about their satisfaction with the operation. In addition, an objective test was performed to assess the postoperative angle improvement by measuring the angle formed between the horizontal line of both corners of the lips and the vertical midline. Results: All grafts survived well. No severe complication occurred. Three patients received further surgical operations for aesthetic reasons. The movement of the corners of mouth was classified as excellent in 8 cases, good in three cases, and fair in one cases. The static angle and dynamic angle of postoperation improved and the range of dynamic angle improvement was larger than that of static angle. Conclusion: Free functional gracilis transfer innervated by the CFNG is an ideal technique for facial paralysis. It can effectively improve the facial dynamic of the affected side.

Automated summary

The free functional gracilis transfer innervated by the cross-facial nerve graft is still an ideal technique for treating facial paralysis, effectively improving the facial dynamics on the affected side.