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Benefits of Combinatorial Therapies for Improving Functional Recovery in a Rat Model of Facial Nerve Injury

Injury to the facial nerve due to trauma or surgical intervention for head and neck pathologies is common; however, few effective treatments eliciting full functional recovery following facial nerve injuries exist. Previous studies in our laboratory have found that single‐agent therapies, while effective in improving functional recovery, are insufficient in promoting complete functional recovery after nerve injury. Consequently, our objective is to determine the efficacy of combination therapies for treatment of facial nerve injury. We have found that treating the repaired injured nerve with polyethylene glycol (PEG), a sealant that acts to fuse damaged cell membranes, and methylene blue (MB), an antioxidant, improves functional recovery in a rat model of facial nerve transection and suture. Given the ease in application of these therapies, either singularly or in combination, we anticipate that these and future studies will aid translation of such methods for application in human facial nerve injury patients.