What is nerve transposition?
Nerve transposition is also known as facial-hypoglossal transfer. It is an operation that restores movement to the side of the face that has been paralyzed. The facial (or 7th cranial) nerve is responsible for moving the face. The hypoglossal (or 12th cranial) nerve is responsible for moving one half of the tongue. With the stump of the 12th nerve is hooked up to the end of the 7th nerve, the face will move when the tongue is moved. With practice and with physical therapy, one can learn to move the face independently of moving the tongue. If your doctor feels that the facial nerve will never function again, and if the injury to the nerve had not bee too remote, you may be a good candidate for nerve transposition. In most cases, half the tongue will undergo shrinkage, or atrophy, but this should not affect your ability to eat or speak. How is a nerve transposition performed? The surgeon will make a small incision that curves from the angle of the jaw into the upper neck. After locating
