Development of a Corneal and Eye Protection Strategy in Domestic Swine.

Large animal models are essential to research in facial paralysis, face transplant, craniofacial surgery, and ophthalmology. Pigs are a well-studied species with high similarity to human anatomy and physiology for these research areas. However, in contrast to cats and dogs protecting the cornea and eye is difficult in swine due to the inability to use an Elizabethan collar (E-collar) and the complexity of placing and maintaining a temporary tarsorrhaphy for corneal protection due to the strength of the pig levator muscle.

Anatomic Analysis of Masseteric-to-zygomatic Nerve Transfer in Rat and Pig Models.

Background: Nerve transfer from the masseteric branch of the trigeminal nerve is a widely performed procedure for facial reanimation. Despite achieving powerful muscle force, clinical and aesthetic results leave room for improvement. Preclinical animal models are invaluable to establishing new therapeutic approaches.

Maximizing Solid Organ and Face Transplant Procurement Team Coordination: The Posterior Tibial Artery Flap as an Ideal Sentinel Flap.

Face transplantation became a reality with the first case performed in 2005. Facial tissue allograft procurement is technically complex and time-intensive. Brain-dead deceased donors are frequently, if not always, multiorgan donors.

Detailed anatomical study of the peripheral motor branches of the facial nerve in the swine model: A novel investigative approach for facial paralysis research.

Introduction: Large animal models aid in innovating surgical approaches and developing medical devices for the treatment of facial paralysis. However, there is a lack of information on facial nerve anatomy in swine. This study aimed to investigate the branching pattern and histologic characteristics of the swine facial nerve, thereby establishing the anatomical patterns of preclinical models in facial paralysis research.