Facial Transplantation Can Improve Speech In Victims Of Serious Face Trauma – ScienceDaily

Facial transplant is one of the most comprehensive facial reconstruction procedures on the market. The procedure involves the partial or total replacement of the nerves, muscles and skeletal structures of the face, head and neck with the aid of donor tissues. To date, with only 41 facial transplant procedures performed in the world, this case study adds to the very limited documentation documenting the results of speech production after facial transplantation. The surgery, the first in the state of New York, was performed by experts from the NYU Langone Health Facial Graft Program, led by Eduardo Rodriguez, MD, DDS, Helen L. Kimmel Chair Professor. of reconstructive plastic surgery and chairman of the Hansjörg board of directors. Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery.

"Our results open a window into the complex recovery process that follows major facial reconstruction and provide an important foundation from which we can begin to understand how a facial graft can improve speech production between preoperative and postoperative," said Maria I. Grigos, lead author of the study. and Associate Professor of Communication Science and Communication Disorders at NYU Steinhardt. "Among the many remarkable patterns observed, we found that the patient showed a more flexible control of facial movements as he adapted to graft structures."

Research method

Using optical tracking, a form of motion tracking technology, Grigos and his team were able to directly examine how the facial graft procedure changes facial movements and helps improve speech production. The researchers compared patient data from the case study – a man victim of third- and fourth-degree burns and a significant loss of soft tissue in a fire – with four adult males. having suffered no severe facial trauma.

The speech production and facial movements of the patient were examined once before the procedure and four times during the 13 months following the procedure. The patient's lips and jaw movements, as well as the intelligibility of his speech, were compared before and after the transplant and then followed throughout the recovery period.

"The remarkable changes we have captured in this patient reflect the multiple processes involved in reintegrating neuromuscular control and learning new strategies during the recovery period." This adaptive capacity is an indicator positive efficacy treatment aimed at improving the production of speech grafting the face, "continued Grigos.

In addition to Co-Grigos, co-authors of the study include Eduardo D. Rodriguez, Etoile LeBlanc, J. Rodrigo Diaz-Siso and Natalie Plana of NYU Langone Health's Department of Plastic Surgery Hansjörg Wyss, as well as Christina Hagedorn of College of Staten Island, University of New York City.

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