Special Issue

Topic: Surgical Management of Traumatic Facial Nerve Injuries

A Special Issue of Plastic and Aesthetic Research

ISSN 2349-6150 (Online) 2347-9264 (Print)

Submission deadline: 28 Feb 2023

Guest Editor(s)

Dr. Ruben Yap Kannan

Department of Plastic Surgery, Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, UK.

Special Issue Introduction

Traumatic facial nerve injury refers to a broad gamut of etiologies, ranging from temporal bone fractures and facial lacerations to iatrogenic injuries due to surgery. The key to the management of these facial nerve injuries depends on (i) the timing of facial paralysis after onset (immediate vs. delayed), (ii) the extent of paralysis (complete vs. incomplete), (iii) the type of trauma (blunt, penetrating, or iatrogenic), (iv) the condition of the nerve, the duration of facial paralysis, and (v) the status of the motor end plates of the facial muscles. The management of traumatic facial nerve injuries can be a variable and dynamic process, but having a clear understanding of the diagnostic and treatment algorithms can help maximize the chances of a meaningful recovery for these patients.

This Special Issue will discuss the assessment of these facial nerve injuries, describe the subsequent management of facial nerve injury in this cohort of patients, and importantly, present a paradigm shift in the approach to these injuries with a better outcome in mind.