Intra-operative monitoring of the facial nerve with an air inflated balloon. Technical note.

Mourier, K L; Raggueneau, J L; George, B; Boissonnet, H; Hodes, J E; Cophignon, J · Acta Neurochir (Wien) · 1992

other · Level V

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Abstract

A simple, reliable and cheap device for intra-operative monitoring of the facial nerve during surgery for cerebellopontine angle tumours is presented. It consists of a single use tracheostomy tube with a low pressure air inflatable cuff placed in the mouth of the patient on the side of the tumour, connected by a pressure transducer to a monitoring unit. It records any pressure changes in the patient's mouth induced by muscular contractions as a result of excitation of the inferior parts of the facial nerve.

Medical subject headings