The surgical management of frontal branch of the facial nerve injuries

Abstract

Aim: The frontal branch of the facial nerve is particularly vulnerable to traumatic injury or during surgery. While the larger branches of the facial nerve, such as the buccal branch, are more easily identifiable and amenable to repair, the repair of the frontal branch is not common due to its complex branching pattern and smaller size. The description of the surgical approach to repair the frontal branch of the facial nerve is limited in the literature. In this study, we aim to explore the outcomes of patients who underwent frontal branch facial nerve repair in our centre. Method: In a retrospective case review at a single, tertiary Plastic Surgery centre, we performed frontal branch repair for eight patients (n = 8) who sustained complete or partial division of the frontal branch of the facial nerves. These patients were followed up postoperatively and assessed with the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System. Results: Using super microsurgical techniques, primary nerve coaptations, fascicular nerve flaps, and direct neurotisations were performed. All eight patients (100%) demonstrated improvements in terms of resting brow symmetry. There was a significant improvement in brow and frontalis function following surgical repair of the frontal branch, with 87.5% (seven patients) demonstrating improvement in forehead movement. Conclusion: In this case series, we demonstrated that the repair of the frontal branch of the facial nerve is relevant, with reasonably good functional outcomes. Repair of the frontal branch of the facial nerve should ideally be done as early as possible following the injury. Nevertheless, delayed repair may still be beneficial within 18 months after the injury.