[Electrophysiological analysis of the degree of damage and regeneration of the facial nerve in tumors of the cerebellopontile angle].

In 7 patients with peripheral facial nerve paralysis during the development of pontocerebellar angle tumor or caused by damage to the nerve during surgical removal of the tumour the blink reflex and the peripheral nerve conduction were studied. Additionally, in 5 of these cases clinical and electrophysiological follow-up was carried out after operations of anastomosing of the hypoglossal nerve to the facial nerve. In all these cases the blink reflex was absent after the operation. On the other hand, from the third month on after the anastomotic operation a return was observed of the conduction in the facial nerve. Complete condution never returned despite evident clinical improvement in some case. Muscle atrophy, involuntary movements or associated movements in the facial muscles on the side of the anastomosis, which are frequent during spontaneous regeneration, were never observed.