Collagen Treatment in Facial Nerve Palsy

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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To test the effectiveness of a collagen-based treatment for patients complaining of long standing facial nerve axonotmesis, who are following a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation protocol (Kabat method), compared to a group only undergoing the Kabat method.

Detailed Description
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Objective: To test the effectiveness of a collagen-based treatment for patients complaining of long standing facial nerve axonotmesis, who are following a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation protocol (Kabat method), compared to a group only undergoing the Kabat method. Methods: Patients undergoing both procedures will be compared, after randomization, to matched patients undergoing only Kabat procedure after 8 weeks of treatment. The outcomes will be electromyographic findings, validated questionnaires (Facial Disability Index, FDI) and clinical grading (House-Brackmann, HB). A correlation analysis will be performed between pre-/post-treatment diﬀerences (Δ) in outcome and clinical-demographic measures.

Official Title
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The Role of Collagen in the Rehabilitation of Peripheral Paralysis of the Facial Nerve

Conditions
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Facial Nerve Palsy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: Rehabilitation
* Procedure: Collagen Injection


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: patients with a medical diagnosis of long-term unilateral peripheral axonotmesis of the facial nerve Exclusion Criteria: patients with facial palsy caused by central nerve disease; patients with a history of recurrent facial palsy; patients with a facial skin disease hampering the possibility of injecting the drug; - patients with difficulty in moving their face due to previous plastic surgery or facial surgery; patients with systemic diseases that can affect facial electromyography; patients deemed inappropriate by the researchers. patients with a history of hypersensitivity to any collagen solution constituent or showing pregnancy, lactation, neuromuscular junction disorders (myastenia gravis), peripheral motor neuropathies, or active infections will be also excluded.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: kabat<br>Rehabilitation will be started in both groups of patients and it will be carried out according to Kabat et al., i.e. a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation procedure, twice a week for 8 weeks, by an experienced physioptherapist | Procedure: Rehabilitation<br>* The Kabat procedure consists of facilitating the voluntary response of an impaired muscle through a global pattern of an entire muscular section which undergoes resistance. This method considers that harmony, coordination and optimal strength of body movements mainly depend upon the fact that they are performed following diagonal lines with respect to the sagittal axis of the body, thus implying a 'rotational' effect. It will performed twice a week for 8 weeks<br>* Other names: Kabat procedure;|
| Experimental: collagen injection<br>Injections of an equally-balanced solution of MD Neural, MD Matrix and MD Muscle (Guna S.p.a., Milan-Italy), containing collagen of porcine origin, will be administered subcutaneously after applying lidocaine/prilocaine cream on the affected side, by a skilled otonaryngologist in the field of injection treatments, twice a week for 8 weeks | Procedure: Rehabilitation<br>* The Kabat procedure consists of facilitating the voluntary response of an impaired muscle through a global pattern of an entire muscular section which undergoes resistance. This method considers that harmony, coordination and optimal strength of body movements mainly depend upon the fact that they are performed following diagonal lines with respect to the sagittal axis of the body, thus implying a 'rotational' effect. It will performed twice a week for 8 weeks<br>* Other names: Kabat procedure;Procedure: Collagen Injection<br>* With an insulin-type syringe and 30-gauge needle, a bolus of about 0.4 cc per point of the collagen solution will be injected in the orbicularis oculi muscle 1 cm outside the orbital rim and 0.5 cm superior and inferior to the first injection point, respectively, and in the orbicularis oris muscle, where the 2 injection points are on the border between the pars peripheralis and pars marginalis, located about 5 mm above the superior and inferior vermilion, respectively<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| duration of voluntary activity | An electromyography coaxial needle examination will be performed on the orbicularis oculi and orbicularis oris to evaluate the electrical alteration of these muscles. These muscles will be examined at rest and during voluntary activity in terms of msec of duration of voluntary activity | 2 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Facial asymmetry | Static and dynamic facial asymmetry will be evaluated and manually tested on the muscle strength of the frontalis, corrugator, orbicularis oculi, zigomaticus, caninus, platysma and orbicularis oris muscles. These clinical findings will be classified and recorded according to the House-Brackmann (HB) scale, ranging from 1 (normal) to 6 (severe dysfunction). | 2 months | 
| Subjective facial disability | The Facial Disability Index (FDI) is a 10-item self-administered questionnaire with 2 subscale scores: 5 items concern the physical function subscale, and 5 items concern the social/well-being function subscale. Each item is rated on a 6-point scale, ranging from severe disability to absence of disability. Both subscales are transformed to a score on a 100 point scale, with 100 indicating unimpaired physical or social/wellbeing function. All questions referred to the preceding month. | 2 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Facial nerve palsy, Kabat method, Collagen injections, Electromyography