An Evidence-Based Approach to Facial Reanimation




This article provides an overview of the current state of the art of facial reanimation using the best available evidence. Medical, surgical, and physical therapy options in acute and long-standing facial palsy are discussed.


Key points








  • Management of facial palsy (FP) is dictated by the pattern and time course of dysfunction.



  • Therapeutic options include pharmaceutical agents, corneal protective measures, physical therapy (PT), chemodenervation agents, fillers, and a myriad of surgical procedures.



  • Good evidence from well-designed studies supports the use of glucocorticoids and antivirals in the setting of idiopathic and acute viral FP and botulinum toxin (BTX) and PT in the setting of synkinesis.



  • A plethora of surgical techniques and their respective outcomes have been described in the literature, but few use controls, blinded assessment, and validated scales to reduce bias.



  • Outcomes research in facial paralysis should comprise standardized subjective quality-of-life (QOL) and objective functional measures.


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Aug 26, 2017 | Posted by in General Surgery | Comments Off on An Evidence-Based Approach to Facial Reanimation

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