Bringing Back Your Smile After Facial Nerve Paralysis
The human smile is fundamental to emotional expression, warmth, and communication. Damage to the facial nerve—from Bell's palsy, acoustic neuroma/parotid tumor surgery, or trauma—paralyzes one side of the face, leaving the mouth drooping, saliva leaking, and the eye unable to close.
Dr. Vishal Purohit provides cutting-edge facial reanimation surgery. When facial muscles have been paralyzed for more than 18 to 24 months, the native muscles atrophy irreversibly. We perform free microvascular gracilis muscle transfer, transplanting a small, expendable muscle segment from the inner thigh to the face, connected to healthy motor nerves to create a natural, spontaneous smile.
Dynamic & Static Reconstructive Techniques
Microvascular Free Gracilis Muscle Transfer
The premier modern standard for dynamic smile reconstruction. Powered by the masseteric motor nerve (nerve to the chewing muscle) or a Cross-Facial Nerve Graft (CFNG), the new muscle pulls the corner of the mouth upward when you bite or smile.
Temporalis Muscle Tendon Transfer (TMTT)
A single-stage dynamic transfer repositioning the temporalis tendon to the corner of the mouth for patients who prefer avoiding microvascular free tissue transfer.
Eye Protection: Upper Eyelid Gold/Platinum Weight Implants
Placing an ultra-thin platinum or gold weight inside the upper eyelid allows gravity to gently close the eyelid whenever the levator muscle relaxes, preventing corneal drying and blindness.