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