Early perioperative use of polytef suspension for the management of facial paralysis after extirpative skull base surgery.

BACKGROUND The satisfactory management of facial paralysis after extirpative skull base surgery has been notoriously difficult. To optimize physical and psychological recovery, early perioperative use of polytef (polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE]) facial suspension has been used in patients with either profound electrophysiological or anatomical disruption of the facial nerve. OBJECTIVE To review the efficacy of this clinical algorithm. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective medical record review. SETTING Tertiary care University Hospital Inc, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio. PATIENTS AND METHODS Medical records review of 32 patients who underwent lateral skull base surgery with resultant facial paralysis who had facial rehabilitation using polytef suspension. RESULTS All patients who underwent polytef facial suspension reported improvement in both facial function as well as aesthetics. One patient had a late extrusion of the polytef implant. CONCLUSION The early peri-extirpative application of this technique provides psychological and physical support to patients with facial paralysis who are recovering from lateral skull base surgery. Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2000;2:243-248