Facial paralysis reanimation surgery is a group of delicate procedures that treat weakness or paralysis of the facial muscles caused by injury to the facial nerve. They aim at restoring some movement and symmetry, protecting the eye and improving the smile in patients who have not recovered on their own.
The treating team chooses the technique according to the cause and the duration of the paralysis. It may involve repairing or grafting the nerve, transferring another nerve such as the masseter nerve, a free muscle transfer using microsurgery, or a local muscle transfer, along with supporting steps such as eyelid weights and static slings. It is usually done under general anaesthesia.
Surgery may take several hours and needs a hospital stay of some days, followed by physiotherapy and movement training. Movement returns gradually over months, and it can take a year or more; results vary from patient to patient, and the treating team decides the suitable plan.
The final cost is set after a medical consultant reviews your case and photos.
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It may restore some facial movement and smile, and improve symmetry, eye protection, speech and eating. The aim is functional and aesthetic improvement; the face is not expected to return fully to how it was before.
This depends on the cause and duration of the paralysis, the state of the nerve and muscles, and general health. The treating team assesses the case with examination and nerve and muscle tests, then recommends the most suitable option.
Thorough tests and an anaesthesia assessment are performed, and the doctor reviews your medicines and supplements, deciding whether any should be paused. Stopping smoking is advised because it impairs tissue blood supply. Never stop a prescribed drug on your own; pre-operative physiotherapy may be requested.
Depending on the case, the nerve is repaired or grafted, another nerve is transferred to drive the facial muscles, a muscle from the thigh is transferred by microsurgery, or the temporalis muscle is redirected. Supporting procedures such as eye protection are sometimes added.
A hospital stay of some days is needed, with swelling, bruising, dressings and sometimes a temporary face wrap. Weeks of rest are followed by regular training and physiotherapy, and return to activity depends on the procedure performed.
Movement takes months to appear and may keep improving for a year or more, depending on the technique. The result is often long-lasting, but the range and naturalness of movement differ, and a fully spontaneous smile cannot be guaranteed.
Risks include bleeding, infection, a collection of blood, failure of the transferred muscle (a clot in its vessels may need urgent surgery) or limited movement, asymmetry, injury to nearby nerves, numbness and scars. Further operations may be needed. The team explains these risks honestly before surgery.
Yes, scars remain at the incision sites, such as in front of the ear, inside the mouth, or where a muscle is taken from the thigh. They are hidden where possible and fade with time.
Travel is advised only after the condition is stable, stitches are removed and monitoring is complete, often at least two weeks after microsurgery. Your treating team confirms the right time.
The eye may not close fully, leaving the cornea at risk of dryness and ulcers, which can threaten sight, so drops, ointments and sometimes eyelid weights are used. Regular eye-specialist follow-up is essential before and after surgery.
