Speech Pathology collaboration to enhance facial reanimation surgery outcomes.
Deb Cunningham1, Jenny Shurdington1, Nelson Low2,3 1St John Of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital, Frankston, Victoria, Australia2Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia3South Eastern Plastic Surgeons, Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia
Abstract
The incidence of peripheral facial palsy is 23–35 cases in 100,000. Half of all facial palsy cases are idiopathic (Bell´s palsy) and the remainder are caused by tumor, trauma, injury during surgery, herpes zoster virus, otitis, or Ramsay Hunt syndrome . Approximately 70% of cases of Bell’s palsy exhibit complete recovery within 3 months. Unfortunately, patients with incomplete recovery of facial nerve palsy (FNP) suffer from facial muscle weakness, asymmetry, contracture, hyperkinesis, atrophy, and synkinesis . The impact of which has functional, psychological and social implications, affecting the quality of life of the individual.
Facial surgery may be considered for incomplete recovery of facial expression. The 2 common approaches are static (eg brow lift, fascia sling) or dynamic (eg nerve repair, graft, transfer, muscle transposition).
Following a dynamic procedure for facial reanimation, facial muscle function can be enhanced through rehabilitation.
A Speech Pathologist’s (SP) scope of practice includes treating facial and oral function for speech and swallowing deficits and are well placed to take on the role of rehabilitation post facial reanimation .
In collaboration with Mr Nelson Low (Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon) the Frankston SJOG SP team are providing postsurgical facial reanimation rehabilitation with single case studies showing exciting results.
To date, protocols for facial palsy rehabilitation are limited in literature and primarily focus on central or peripheral facial palsy, rather than post-reanimation surgery. The role of SP in the multidisciplinary team is often not defined or understood, and there is an absence of literature on the outcomes of SP interventions in this population.
Our current research targets best practice SP rehabilitation interventions for patients post surgical reanimation surgery.
This presentation describes SP rehabilitation interventions applied at SJOG Frankston and their outcomes in this population, via case studies.
Biography
Deb Cunningham, Speech Pathologist, SJOG Frankston.
Deb is a Grade 1 Speech Pathologist working in hospital based rehabilitation for adults with swallowing or communication difficulties. She is passionate about functional rehabilitation of patients with facial palsy – helping them rediscover how to smile, drink and kiss! She also has an interest in progressive neurological disease, particularly swallowing and voice rehabilitation for people with Parkinson’s disease.