Abstract
Objectives:This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of facial rehabilitation (FR) in patients with chronic facial nerve paralysis (FNP) and describe factors that predict improved facial nerve function after FR in this patient population.Study Design:Retrospective case review.Setting:Tertiary referral center.Patients:Around 241 patients were referred to a university hospital facial rehabilitation (FR) program for FNP between 1995 and 2016. Seventy-six patients met criteria, defined as diagnosis of FNP ≥12 months prior to initiation of FR.Interventions:Each received at least two sessions of directed FR by a single therapist. Techniques employed: Neuromuscular retraining, stretching/massage, and active exercise.Main Outcomes:Variables affecting outcomes were analyzed to determine association with success of FR as measured by improvement in Facial Grading System (FGS) scale.Results:Onset of FNP to initiation of FR ranged 12 to 384 months (mean latency = 64.7 months). All patients, age 20 to 89, showed improvement in FGS after FR (mean, 16.54 points, SD 9.35). Positive predictors of FGS improvement after therapy (p-values < 0.05): Increased the number of therapy sessions, right side of face being treated for FNP, lower starting FGS score. When controlling for these important variables, time from diagnosis to initiation of therapy was not significantly associated with improvement in FGS score.Conclusion:Facial rehabilitation was associated with improved FGS score regardless of patient age, gender, or latency to facial rehabilitation. As a noninvasive treatment option with positive outcomes, it should be offered to patients with facial nerve paralysis regardless of chronicity.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 241-245 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Otology and Neurotology |
Volume | 40 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2019 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Address correspondence and reprint requests to Emily Karp, B.S., Sofia Lyford-Pike, MD, c/o Emily Karp, Phillips Wangensteen Building, 516 Delaware Street SE, Suite 8A, Minneapolis, MN 55455; E-mail: karpx030@umn.edu B.L. received grant from the University of Minnesota’s NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award (UL1TR002494). The rest of the authors disclose no conflicts of interest. Supplemental digital content is available in the text.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Otology and Neurotology, Inc.
Keywords
- Facial nerve
- Facial nerve paralysis
- Facial rehabilitation
- Quality of life