The most important consideration for the facial nerve surgery procedure is minimizing the time between the nerve damage and its reconstruction. The sooner the surgery can be completed, the greater the chances of a successful and quick recovery. Patients who seek to repair damage that has long been healed will have the previous scar tissue and neuromas removed to create raw surfaces for nerve reconstruction, though this procedure may not achieve similar results. Another consideration for this procedure is that there must be vital muscle still present in the paralyzed face that may be rescued.