RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the recovery patterns and the influencing factors of facial nerve injury in maxillofacial surgery by retrospective analysis of a serial clinical data.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 182 patients with facial nerve injury were reviewed. The cause of injury, the initial facial nerve function after trauma, the treatment, the initial recovery time of facial nerve function and the total recovery time were recorded. The factors that influenced the outcome of facial nerve function were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The facial nerve branch injury was common in maxillofacial injury. The injury pattern, location, age and reconstruction time all had effects on the function recovery of the facial nerve. Within 6 months, 45 of 49 (92%) anatomic injured patients completely recovered in 6 months; 53 of 59 patients (90%) began to recover when nerve had been ruptured. In 12 months, 33 of 35 patients (94%) after nerve anastomosed and 5 of 8 patients (62%) with nerve transplantation got complete recovery.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Preserving the facial nerve during surgery is very important. If the facial nerve is injured, reconstructive surgery should be applied as soon as possible.</p>