Advances and future directions in the care of patients with facial paralysis

摘要

This article highlights some of the modern-day advancements in facial reanimation surgery including an update on timing of intervention, modifications to free gracilis muscle transfer as well as novel muscle transfers, treatments for synkinesis, minimally invasive procedures, and treatments for ocular paralysis. We also discuss how machine learning and artificial intelligence have been applied to the facial paralysis population with the hopes of developing a standardized, objective assessment tool for evaluating facial function. Although not yet routinely used among facial nerve specialists, advances in bioengineering have been applied to nerve allografts and synthetic conduits, and several experimental studies to enhance neural regeneration are underway. Lastly, we discuss other novel areas of research including neuroprosthetic devices, artificial muscle, use of fluorescent dyes, and the role of acupuncture, which may ultimately change how we manage patients with facial paralysis in the future.