Nerve Transfer for Facial Paralysis Under Intravenous Sedation and Local Analgesia for the High Surgical Risk Elderly Patient.

Abstract

This case report describes an 86-year-old woman with complete peripheral right-sided facial paralysis resulting from resection of a cervical lipoma 14 months before surgery. Because of the high anesthetic risk, a masseter to facial nerve transfer was performed under combined light sedation and local anesthetic. Good functional and aesthetic outcomes were noted without complications. To our knowledge, nerve transfers under light sedation and local anesthesia have not been described in the literature and may be useful in elderly patients with significant comorbidities.