Extratemporal fascicular study of facial nerve in human

ABSTRACT

Peripheral nerves are structures exposed to physical, chemical and mechanical traumas. These lesions can cause a varying magnitude of damages, between which compression, distention and section, which culminate in motor, psychological and aesthetic alterations, mainly with facial expression nerves, like the facial nerve. The objective of this study was to verify the fascicular disposition of the facial nerve through its histology. Ten human cadaver heads, with ages between 53 and 66, were dissected. Extratemporal segments of the facial nerve were collected and routine techniques for histological microscopic evaluation were applied. Results showed that the extratemporal segments of the facial nerve analyzed are oligofascicular and polyfascicular, with a number of 3 to 8 fascicules. We conclude that knowledge on the fascicular organization of nerves, particularly the facial nerve, is paramount in surgical procedures using grafts, interfascicular sutures, among other microsurgeries which involve nerve restoration.