The Feasibility of Delayed Repair of Facial Nerve Trauma-electrophysiological Studies and Research of Neurons and Specificity of Regeneration

To study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of delayed repair of facial nerve trauma in case immediate repair was not possible. Guinea pigs were randomly assigned to one of eight groups; normal group, group of immediate Facial-facial Anastomosis (FFA), group of delayed FFA for 7 days, group of delayed FFA for 14 days, group of delayed FFA for 21 days, group of delayed FFA for 30 days, group of delayed FFA for 60 days and group of delayed FFA for 90 days, by turns. The survival time was 2 months after nerve suture. The group of immediate FFA and the group of delayed FFA for 7 days had shorter latency than other groups of delayed FFA (p<0.05). The amplitude of the group of delayed FFA for 7 days was larger than that of immediately sutured and other delayed sutured ones. The group of delayed FFA for 60 and 90 days had longer latency and smaller amplitude than the group of immediate FFA and other group of delayed FFA. The facial neurons labeled by HRP in immediate suture group were more than that in any other delayed suture group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference among groups of delayed FFA for 7, 14, 21 and 30 days (p = 0.326). Immediate repair of facial nerve trauma showed best results; however delayed nerve repair was also an option. The best curative effects were with repairs within 60 days.