Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Trauma to the facial nerve can be categorized into temporal bone fractures, penetrating injuries, and iatrogenic injuries. The management of these injuries remains controversial, as opinions differ in regard to the significance of electrophysiologic tests, the use of corticosteroids, the timing of surgical intervention, the selection of surgical approaches to the injured nerve, and the technique of nerve repair. Many of these injuries can and do undergo spontaneous regeneration without medical or surgical intervention; others result in suboptimal recovery. Our ability to improve the quality of return of facial function remains in question except in those nerves in which the physical basis of injury is clear, e.g. transection. No treatment has been proved Editorials t