Facial nerve paralysis (facial palsy) can be produced by a large number of conditions including Bell’s palsy, trauma, tumors and congenital syndromes (Moebius). Loss of facial nerve function often results in severe cosmetic and functional problems including impairment of facial expression, speech, eating and vision. Self-consciousness and social isolation frequently arise in the wake of these physical changes.

The goals of surgery include protecting the eye, preventing drooling and re-establishing facial symmetry both in motion and at rest. The surgical approach is customized to the individual patient and is influenced by the cause and duration of the paralysis along with the condition of the facial nerve.

Dynamic Reconstruction of facial palsy, 27th Panhellenic Congress of Surgery, 24-27Nov 2010, Athens