What Is Facial Nerve Repair?

The facial nerve can sometimes be repaired with one of two procedures:

MVD is a surgical procedure used to treat trigeminal neuralgia, a chronic pain condition that affects the face, acoustic neuroma and facial trauma. Patients with these conditions can experience pain or paralysis in the cheeks or jaw that makes it difficult to eat and drink.

During a MVD procedure, surgeons remove the blood vessels that are touching the nerve, and insert a pad between the nerve and the arteries. Surgeons may also remove veins that are touching the nerve, or remove part of the nerve itself.

Gamma Knife® radiosurgery, also known as stereotactic radiosurgery, delivers a single, large dose of radiation to acoustic neuroma with surgical precision.

Sometimes referred to as “surgery without the knife,” Gamma Knife® radiosurgery minimizes the damage to surrounding healthy tissue. With Gamma Knife® radiosurgery patients experience little discomfort, and the absence of an incision eliminates the risk of bleeding and infection. With reduced side effects, patients can return more quickly to their daily activities.


Related Resources

Patient Education: Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (PDF)