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The Effects of Facial Nerve Ablation on Craniofacial Skeletal Development in Neonatal Rabbits
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1994
Year
Craniofacial Skeletal DevelopmentMaxillofacial GrowthPeripheral NerveAnatomyOrthopaedic SurgeryAnimal Craniofacial GrowthEmbryologyFacial NerveNeonatal RabbitsCraniofacial AnomaliesCraniofacial DevelopmentHealth SciencesFunctional MatrixMorphogenesisCraniofacial GrowthFacial Nerve ResectionNervous SystemMandibular GrowthFacial Nerve AblationDevelopmental BiologyNeuroanatomyPhysiologyCentral Nervous SystemCraniofacial SurgeryMedicineCraniofacial Disorder
The effects of unilateral facial nerve ablation on craniofacial development in the rabbit were examined. In this experimental model, 10 newborn rabbits 12 days of age underwent unilateral resection and cautery of the facial nerve. They were allowed to grow to skeletal maturity and were sacrificed at 6 months. Analysis of variance was used to compare direct measurements of prepared skulls in the experimental animals with 3 unoperated control litter mates and with 5 litter mates who underwent a sham procedure (exposure of the facial nerve without section). The animals with facial nerve resection demonstrated an average snout deviation toward the side of injury of 8.3 degrees, apparently due to shortening of the maxilla and mandible on the affected side. This study provides new data regarding the role of the functional matrix in the modulation of craniofacial growth and development.