Question

Facial paralysis caused by a car accident affects the left side of my face. There is some nerve avulsion, and now my mouth and nose are crooked, the nasolabial groove is shallow, and there is sensation but no movement.

Answer

Hello. The treatment for traumatic facial paralysis varies depending on the location of the injury. If the cause is a temporomandibular fracture, some patients may consider facial nerve decompression surgery, which is an aggressive treatment method to promote nerve recovery. If the injury is to the outer segment of the temporal bone, it may be necessary to perform surgical exploration to determine the type of nerve injury, such as nerve transection, in which case nerve anastomosis or transplantation may be considered. The specific treatment plan should be determined based on the situation during surgery. Additionally, the duration of the paralysis is also important; if it has been more than three months, the damaged nerve has likely fibrotized, significantly reducing the hope for recovery.