Physical Therapy for Iatrogenic Facial Paralysis: A Systematic Review.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Facial paralysis (FP) after surgery has substantial functional, emotional, and financial consequences. Most iatrogenic FP is managed by watchful waiting, with the expectation of facial function recovery. A potential treatment is physical therapy (PT).

Objective

To investigate whether noninvasive PT compared with no PT or other intervention improves facial nerve outcomes in adults with iatrogenic FP.

Evidence review

Patients with noniatrogenic FP, facial reanimation surgery, and invasive adjunctive treatments (acupuncture or botulinum toxin injection) were excluded. A systematic review was conducted for records discussing iatrogenic FP and PT; a search for these records was performed using Ovid MEDLINE (1946-2019), Embase (1947-2019), Scopus (1823-2019), Coc

SUBMITTER: Wamkpah NS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8048107 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature