Restore sensation and improve your quality of life with sensory reinnervation at New York Facial Paralysis. Led by Dr. Teresa O, this advanced procedure addresses nerve damage caused by facial paralysis, infections, or injuries. By reconnecting nerves, Dr. O helps you regain feeling and function, enhancing your daily experiences.
Restore sensation to your face and eye area
Sensory reinnervation is a surgical technique to restore sensation lost due to nerve damage from facial paralysis, infections, or injuries. If you’ve experienced numbness or lack of feeling in areas like your face or eye surface, sensory reinnervation can help. During the procedure, Dr. O identifies and connects healthy sensory nerves from other parts of your body to the damaged nerves. Over time, these new connections allow sensation to return, improving comfort and protecting delicate areas like your cornea.
Sensory reinnervation corrects:
- Loss of facial sensation caused by nerve damage
- Numbness in the cheek, forehead, or other facial areas
- Loss of eye surface or corneal sensation
- Compromised corneal protection leading to cloudiness or blindness
- Sensory deficits resulting from infections, tumors, or trauma
- Impaired nerve function following facial paralysis
Facial nerve reinnervation
Overview
Facial nerve reinnervation helps restore movement and function to areas of the face affected by nerve damage. If your facial nerve has been injured, Dr. O can identify alternative nerve sources to reestablish connections. She uses nerve grafts and transfer techniques to restore natural expressions and symmetry. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia, using precise surgical techniques to reconnect or replace damaged nerves.
Nerve to masseter transfer
This technique involves using the nerve that controls your bite muscles, located in the cheek under the cheekbone, to provide power to the paralyzed facial nerve. The nerve is carefully redirected to connect with the damaged facial nerve branches, enabling them to send signals to the affected muscles. Over time, with physical therapy, you can regain the ability to smile and create natural facial expressions.
Hypoglossal nerve transfer
The hypoglossal nerve, which moves your tongue, is partially redirected to the facial nerve. Only a small portion of the hypoglossal nerve is used to ensure it doesn’t affect essential tongue functions like speech or swallowing. By tapping into this nerve, Dr. O restores the ability of facial muscles to move, bringing symmetry back to your face. This is ideal for patients who need a strong nerve source for reinnervation.
Cross-face nerve graft
This technique borrows electrical signals from the healthy facial nerve on the opposite side of your face. A nerve graft, often taken from your leg or another part of your body, acts as an “extension cord,” bridging the gap between the healthy nerve and the paralyzed side. This allows the signals from the functioning side to stimulate movement on the affected side, restoring a more natural and symmetrical appearance.
Nerve grafts used for sensory reinnervation:
- Sural nerve graft: Sensory nerve harvested from the leg.
- Great auricular nerve graft: Sensory nerve taken from the neck.
- Medial antebrachial nerve graft: Sensory nerve obtained from the inner arm.
Corneal nerve reinnervation
Corneal nerve reinnervation restores sensation to the surface of the eye, often lost due to infections, tumors, or nerve damage from facial paralysis. Dr. O carefully harvests a sensory nerve from another part of your body and connects it to a nerve on the normal side supplying sensation to your forehead or cheek. Using a microscope, she tunnels the nerve around your eye to reestablish feeling in the cornea. This procedure protects your eye, prevents cloudiness, and reduces the risk of blindness, with sensation gradually returning over several months.
Sensory reinnervation FAQs
How does sensory reinnervation work?
The process involves using healthy nerves from other parts of your body to reconnect or replace damaged sensory nerves. Dr. O identifies suitable donor nerves—such as those from your leg, neck, or arm—and connects them to damaged areas. Over time, the new nerves grow and establish connections, allowing sensation to return to the affected areas.
What is the recovery process like after sensory reinnervation?
You may start to notice gradual improvements in sensation over several months. Dr. O will guide you through the recovery process, including follow-ups to monitor nerve growth and ensure your healing is progressing as expected. Most patients can resume light activities shortly after surgery, but full recovery and sensation restoration may take up to a year.
Is sensory reinnervation a painful procedure?
During the surgery, you’ll be under general anesthesia and will not feel any pain. After the procedure, it’s normal to experience mild discomfort or soreness at the surgical site or the donor area. Dr. O will provide detailed pain management options to ensure a smooth recovery.
Can sensory reinnervation help with corneal damage?
Yes, sensory reinnervation is particularly beneficial for restoring sensation to the cornea, the clear surface of your eye. If you’ve lost corneal sensation due to facial paralysis, infections, or injuries, this procedure can protect your eye from further damage, including cloudiness or blindness. By reconnecting nerves around your eye, Dr. O helps restore feeling.
How long does it take to see results?
Nerve regeneration is a slow process, so it can take several months before you start noticing improvements in sensation. For some patients, the full effects may take up to a year to become apparent. Dr. O will work with you throughout recovery to ensure your progress is on track.
Will my donor site be affected by the surgery?
The donor sites, such as your leg or arm, are carefully chosen to ensure minimal impact on function. Dr. O uses precise surgical techniques to remove the necessary nerves while preserving the donor site’s ability to function normally. You may experience temporary numbness or mild soreness at the donor site, but these symptoms resolve over time.
Schedule your consultation
New York Facial Paralysis is a premier center in Midtown East, Manhattan, specializing in advanced treatments like sensory reinnervation. Led by Dr. Teresa O, a renowned expert in facial nerve disorders, our team delivers exceptional care with cutting-edge surgical techniques. Whether you’re experiencing facial numbness or corneal sensation loss, we’re here to help restore your quality of life. Schedule your consultation today and take the first step toward regaining facial and corneal sensation and function.
