[Facial nerve repairs: a comparative experimental study of epineural and perineural techniques].

This paper reports the comparative study results of perineural and epineural techniques in facial nerve (FN) transection injuries of 16 rabbits. We found little difference in recovery of FN function and histology between epineural and perineural repairs. Both epineural and perineural sutures on FN have not yet solved the problem of misdirection growth of nerve fibers. It is possible to cause the synkinesis movement by using epineural or perineural sutures in human FN. The epineural repair method should be used at the site of FN trunk which is present as a structure of mixed fasciolae giving out branches. The recovery degree of-eye-openings, ENoG and anastomotic pass-rate of regenerating myelinated axons could reflect the recovery degree of FN transection objectively. The three parameters show a parallel relationship. We suggest that either epineural suture or perineural suture should be carried out after FN transection injury.