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Background In facial reanimation, dual-innervated gracilis free functional muscle transfers (FFMTs) may have amalgamated increases in tone, excursion, synchroneity, and potentially spontaneity when compared with single innervation. The ideal staging of dual-innervated gracilis FFMTs has not been investigated. We aim to compare objective long-term outcomes following one- and two-stage dual-innervated gracilis FFMTs. Methods Included were adult patients with facial paralysis who underwent either one- (one-stage group) or two-stage (two-stage group) dual-innervated gracilis FFMT with ≥1 year of postoperative follow-up. Facial measurements were obtained from standardized photographs of patients in repose, closed-mouth smile, and open-mouth smile taken preoperatively, 1 year postoperatively, and 3 years postoperatively. Symmetry was calculated from the absolute difference between the paralyzed and healthy hemiface; a lower value indicates greater symmetry. Results Of 553 facial paralysis patients, 14 were included. Five and nine patients were in the one- and two-stage groups, with mean follow-up time, respectively, being 2.5 and 2.6 years. Within-group analysis of both groups, most paralyzed-side and symmetry measurements significantly improved over time with maintained significance at 3 years postoperatively in closed and open-mouth smile (all p ≤ 0.05). However, only the two-stage group had maintained significance in improvements at 3 years postoperatively in paralyzed-side and symmetry measurements in repose with commissure position (median change [interquartile range, IQR], 7.62 [6.00–10.56] mm), commissure angle (median change [IQR], 8.92 [6.18–13.69] degrees), commissure position symmetry (median change [IQR], −5.18 [−10.48 to −1.80] mm), commissure angle symmetry (median change [IQR], −9.78 [−11.73 to −7.32] degrees), and commissure height deviation (median change [IQR], −5.70 [−7.19 to −1.64] mm; all p ≤ 0.05). In the between-group analysis, all measurements were comparable in repose, closed-mouth smile, and open-mouth smile (all p > 0.05). Conclusion Long-term outcomes demonstrate that both one- and two-stage dual-innervated gracilis FFMTs significantly improve excursion, but only two-stage reconstruction significantly improves resting tone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background  Postparalytic synkinesis presents with a combination of hypo- and hypertonic muscles, leading to facial asynchrony with animation and at rest. One ubiquitous finding is a hypertonic depressor anguli oris (DAO) muscle and a weak depressor labii inferioris (DLI) muscle. The goal of this study was to evaluate the utility of DAO myectomy with or without its transfer to the weakened DLI in improving critical components of the dynamic smile. Methods  From 2018 to 2020, this single-center, prospective study included of postparetic facial synkinetic patients with evidence of DAO hypertonicity who underwent DAO myectomy with or without transfer to DLI. Objective facial measurements were used to compare the effectiveness of DAO to DLI transfer to pure DAO myectomy in improving asymmetry of the synkinetic hemiface. Results  Twenty-one patients with unilateral postparetic facial synkinesis with DAO hypertonicity were included; 11 underwent DAO myectomy, while 10 underwent DAO to DLI transfer. Baseline demographics and facial measurements were similar between the groups. DAO myectomy resulted in increased modiolus resting position, closed-mouth smile modiolus angle and excursion, open-mouth smile modiolus angle, excursion, dental show, and decreased lower lip height deviation. DAO to DLI transfer demonstrated similar findings but lacked significant increase in excursion and resulted in worsened lower lip height deviation. Conclusion  These findings illustrate the utility of DAO myectomy in improving imbalance in the synkinetic patient and necessitate further technical refinements for DAO transfers or a different approach for improving lower lip depression in this subgroup of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]