AXONAL REGENERATION RATE THROUGH CROSS-FACE NERVE GRAFTS

The disfigurement of irreversible unilateral facial paralysis can be c orrected by cross-face nerve grafting in conjunction with muscle trans plantation. A total of 33 patients underwent cross-face nerve grafting using the sural nerve prior to undergoing the second stage of the pro cedure. Before a muscle transplant can be successfully connected to th e distal end of the cross-face nerve graft, the regenerating axons nee d to have grown from the contralateral facial nerve to the distal end of the nerve graft. This can be tested by the Tinel sign. A retrospect ive study was performed to determine the rate of growth of regeneratin g axons through the cross-face nerve graft. A rate of axon growth of 1 .8 mm/day was found, and also an inverse relationship between the age of the patient and the regeneration rate. These results can be used as a guide in planning patients' treatment. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.