TY - JOUR
T1 - Facial nerve injury
T2 - A complication of superficial temporal artery biopsy
AU - Yoon, Michael K.
AU - Horton, Jonathan C.
AU - McCulley, Timothy J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Publication of this article was supported by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, New York, New York , to the University of California – San Francisco. The authors indicate no financial support or financial conflict of interest. Involved in design of the study (T.J.M.), conduct of the study (M.K.Y.), collection of data (M.K.Y., J.C.H., T.J.M.), management of data (M.K.Y.), analysis of data (M.K.Y.), interpretation of data (M.K.Y., J.C.H., T.J.M.), preparation of the manuscript (M.K.Y.), review of the manuscript (M.K.Y., J.C.H., T.J.M.), and approval of the manuscript (M.K.Y., J.C.H., T.J.M.). Institutional Review Board approval was waived due to the retrospective nature of this study. There was complete adherence to the Declaration of Helsinki and all federal and state laws.
PY - 2011/8
Y1 - 2011/8
N2 - Purpose: To describe 4 patients who sustained facial nerve injury during temporal artery biopsy. Design: Retrospective, observational case series. Methods: The medical records were reviewed of 4 patients (2 men, 2 women; mean age 72.8 years, range 60 to 87), referred for evaluation of palsy of the frontal branch of the facial nerve following temporal artery biopsy. Main outcomes measured were site of incision, length of follow-up, and degree of recovery. Results: In all cases, incisions were made in the preauricular region or on the pretrichial temple within 3 cm of the lateral canthal angle. Follow-up ranged from 1 month to over 5 years. No patient recovered completely; 2 had partial return of function, and 2 reported no improvement. Conclusions: Branch facial nerve palsy can occur with temporal artery biopsy and is likely to result in permanent disability. In all cases the incision was placed within the known course of the frontal branch of the facial nerve. To prevent this rare complication, we advocate biopsy of the parietal, rather than the frontal, branch of the superficial temporal artery.
AB - Purpose: To describe 4 patients who sustained facial nerve injury during temporal artery biopsy. Design: Retrospective, observational case series. Methods: The medical records were reviewed of 4 patients (2 men, 2 women; mean age 72.8 years, range 60 to 87), referred for evaluation of palsy of the frontal branch of the facial nerve following temporal artery biopsy. Main outcomes measured were site of incision, length of follow-up, and degree of recovery. Results: In all cases, incisions were made in the preauricular region or on the pretrichial temple within 3 cm of the lateral canthal angle. Follow-up ranged from 1 month to over 5 years. No patient recovered completely; 2 had partial return of function, and 2 reported no improvement. Conclusions: Branch facial nerve palsy can occur with temporal artery biopsy and is likely to result in permanent disability. In all cases the incision was placed within the known course of the frontal branch of the facial nerve. To prevent this rare complication, we advocate biopsy of the parietal, rather than the frontal, branch of the superficial temporal artery.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ajo.2011.02.003
DO - 10.1016/j.ajo.2011.02.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 21683331
AN - SCOPUS:79960823313
SN - 0002-9394
VL - 152
SP - 251-255.e1
JO - American journal of ophthalmology
JF - American journal of ophthalmology
IS - 2
ER -