FACIAL NERVE SURGERY
Facial reanimation is the process of surgically correcting facial paralysis. Although typically acquired through infection or trauma, facial nerve disorders may be congenital.
Patients with facial palsy endure significant social stigma. Many feel disfigured and socially isolated. Normal facial responses that convey emotion are absent or dysfunctional, resulting in many patients being incorrectly perceived as ‘sad’ or ‘angry’. This has a profound effect on communication and social interaction with others, and has been found in studies to negatively impact patients confidence and quality of life.
The goal of surgical management of facial palsy is to restore facial expression as close to normal as possible, reducing the obvious facial asymmetry, improving eyelid closure and in some cases, the ability to smile.
Procedures to the upper face that may be helpful include brow lift surgery, eyelid tightening, or placement of an upper eyelid weight to improve eye closure. The lower face may benefit from nasal procedures to improve breathing, facelifting, and nerve or muscle transfers that may restore movement to some of the facial muscles. Gracilis free muscle transfer (from the inner thigh), and temporalis tendon transfers are often used to re-establish smile in patients with complete facial paralysis.
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After trauma, surgery or illness, the face can be affected both cosmetically and functionally. The damage caused by these injuries can be improved with cutting edge techniques in facial reconstructive surgery.
Depending on the type and extent of injury, more than one procedure or team approaches may be required. Some of the more common conditions Dr Meller treats include unsightly scarring (including keloid), repair of defects after removal of skin cancer, facial lacerations (including animal bites), abnormalities of the ear and fractured or injured noses.
Cosmetic surgery is designed to improve a persons appearance through the alteration or reshaping of one or more facial features. Commonly performed facial procedures include forehead and brow lifting, eyelid procedures, rhinoplasty (nose surgery), skin rejuvenation, and neck and face lifting. Many times these procedures are combined with fat augmentation, fillers and Botox in order to achieve a rejuvenated and balanced appearance.
ROOMS:
SYDNEY CENTRE FOR EAR, NOSE AND THROAT
Suite 2, Level 1, Building 2
49 Frenchs Forest Rd East
Frenchs Forest
NSW 2086
PHONE
FAX
(02) 9451 9883
(02) 9451 9848
(02) 9382 0400
PHONE
PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL, RANDWICK
ENT Outpatient Clinic
Level 2, Barker St. entrance
Randwick
NSW 2031
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NOTE
Outpatient referrals are required for review in Dr. Meller's Clinic on campus at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick.
Please call for an appointment.
Additional information for your outpatient appointment can be viewed here.