Ancillary procedures in facial animation surgery.

Purpose: Facial animation surgery with neuromuscular transplants has become a standard procedure for the treatment of facial palsies. However, the forehead, periocular complex, nasal base area, and inferior lip are secondary sites that also need to be considered in the complete rehabilitation of a flaccid facial palsy.

Materials And Methods: A total of 136 ancillary procedures were performed in 49 patients between 2003 and 2013 and consisted of eyebrow suspensions (11), upper eyelid loading with a platinum chain (39), inferior palpebral suspension with fascia lata (22), nasal base suspension with fascia lata (26), and botulinum toxin injection (38).

Results: Cosmetic results were good and excellent in 30.7% and 63.2% of the procedures, respectively. Functionally, periocular complex rehabilitation and nasal base suspension led to excellent improvements in function in 87.2% and 73.1% of the patients, respectively.

Conclusions: The use of ancillary procedures can improve the functional and esthetic results of facial animation surgery.