Prone position ventilation (PPV) has been widely used in the treatment strategy of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Patients undergoing PPV may develop facial edema and are at risk for pressure injuries due to prolonged prone positioning. In clinical practice, preventive measures such as repositioning, protective dressings, and pressure-relief cushions are commonly used to prevent pressure injuries. However, factors such as improper endotracheal tube placement, self-paid dressings, and delayed clearance of oral and nasal secretions have reduced the effectiveness of preventing facial pressure injuries. To address the above issues, a device for preventing pressure injuries on the faces of patients in the prone position was designed by healthcare workers in the nursing department of Dalian Friendship Hospital, and a National Utility Model Patent of China was obtained (ZL 2024 2 0340439.8). The device consists of a support plate and a circuit control system. The support plate is equipped with two support members. Support member 1 is directly fixed to the support plate, while support member 2 is connected to the support plate via a slide and a spiral rod, serving to support the patient's face and allowing for adjustment of the appropriate width according to the size of the patient's face. Inside the two support members, there are several telescopic rods, with the upper ends designed as spherical supports. The height and position of the telescopic components can be adjusted through a circuit control system, regularly changing the pressure distribution on the patient's face, thereby achieving the purpose of changing the pressure points on the face. The inner wall of support member 2 is equipped with a camera, allowing direct observation of the patient's facial condition through a monitor, avoiding compression of the eyes and nose, and promptly removing secretions from the mouth to keep the face clean, thereby reducing the risk of facial pressure-related injuries. The center of the two support members features a hollow slot, facilitating the placement of a tracheal tube. The circuit control system includes a random module, a time setting module, a control module, and a drive module. Parameters can be set as needed. When the shortest set time is reached, the random module and time setting module send instructions to the control module. Upon receiving the instructions from the time setting module and the random number from the random module, the control module transmits information to the drive module. The drive module, upon receiving the information, controls multiple telescopic rods to adjust their height and position, thereby changing the support points on the patient's face. The device features a simple structure and convenient operation, allowing for flexible adaptation to the patient's facial shape. It can be replaced with the patient's facial pressure area, providing an intuitive view of the patient's facial pressure situation. With automation and high safety, it helps reduce the risk of pressure-related injuries and lightens the workload of medical staff.
Humans ; Pressure Ulcer/prevention & control* ; Prone Position ; Equipment Design ; Facial Injuries/prevention & control* ; Respiration, Artificial/instrumentation* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome/therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) in promoting recovery of the facial function with the involvement of autophagy, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. METHODS: Seventy-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into the control, sham-operated, facial nerve injury (FNI), EA, EA+3-methyladenine (3-MA), and EA+GDNF antagonist groups using a random number table, with 12 rats in each group. An FNI rat model was established with facial nerve crushing method. EA intervention was conducted at Dicang (ST 4), Jiache (ST 6), Yifeng (SJ 17), and Hegu (LI 4) acupoints for 2 weeks. The Simone's 10-Point Scale was utilized to monitor the recovery of facial function. The histopathological evaluation of facial nerves was performed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The levels of Beclin-1, light chain 3 (LC3), and P62 were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Additionally, IHC was also used to detect the levels of GDNF, Rai, PI3K, and mTOR. RESULTS: The facial functional scores were significantly increased in the EA group than the FNI group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). HE staining showed nerve axons and myelin sheaths, which were destroyed immediately after the injury, were recovered with EA treatment. The expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3 were significantly elevated and the expression of P62 was markedly reduced in FNI rats (P<0.01); however, EA treatment reversed these abnormal changes (P<0.01). Meanwhile, EA stimulation significantly increased the levels of GDNF, Rai, PI3K, and mTOR (P<0.01). After exogenous administration with autophagy inhibitor 3-MA or GDNF antagonist, the repair effect of EA on facial function was attenuated (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS EA could promote the recovery of facial function and repair the facial nerve damages in a rat model of FNI. EA may exert this neuroreparative effect through mediating the release of GDNF, activating the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway, and further regulating the autophagy of facial nerves.
Rats ; Male ; Animals ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Electroacupuncture ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/metabolism* ; Facial Nerve Injuries/therapy* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Beclin-1 ; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; Signal Transduction ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Autophagy ; Mammals/metabolism*

Leopard attacks on humans are reported most often from the Indian subcontinent. The bite wounds are complex injuries infected with polymicrobial inoculum and may present as punctures, abrasions, lacerations or avulsions. The presentation and acceptable treatment of these injuries vary according to the wound. We hereby describe the clinical presentation and treatment of a male victim with leopard bite injuries on the head and neck region. As bite injuries are commonly found on and around the face, maxillofacial surgeons should be familiar with the therapy. Through thorough clinical and radiological examination, it is essential to prevent missing any hidden injuries, which can easily turn lethal. To benefit the rural population, more health facilities need to be established in remote areas.
Animals ; Bites and Stings/therapy* ; Facial Injuries/therapy* ; Head ; Humans ; Male ; Neck Injuries/therapy* ; Panthera

Facial nerve paralysis is an unexpected or embarrassed disease which unilateral facial musculatures are suddenly or gradually paralyzed by various causes. However, the most common cause of acute facial paralysis is known to be Bell's palsy. Until now, various treatments are recommended to patients with acute facial paralysis. Especially in Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, and China, there are so many patients who be managed by acupuncture therapy as the initial treatment, even if there exists clearly proven steroid therapy that minimizes neural damage and the incidence of permanent facial complications could be reduced. In Korea, various procedures not clearly unverified or unproven such as acupuncture treatment, massage therapy and thermotherapy are performed without standards regimen instead of administering steroid to patients with acute facial paralysis in the early stages. It has been already known that any initial trials with un-established treatment without full understanding of pathophysiology of facial nerve injury worsen prognosis after acute facial paralysis. There are reports showing that the prognosis of Korean patients with Bell's palsy is worse than globally known prognosis of patients with Bell's palsy. Such reports may reflect unverified procedures and consequently putting off steroid treatment in the early stages. Therefore, this is a paper intended to investigate issues occurring in treating a patient with acute facial paralysis in Korea in order to prepare the medical guidelines for the better solution.
Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bell Palsy ; China ; Facial Nerve ; Facial Nerve Injuries ; Facial Paralysis* ; Humans ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; Incidence ; Japan ; Korea* ; Massage ; Paralysis ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of micro-plasma radio frequency treatment of facial post-burn hyperpigmentation.

METHODSFrom June 2012 to August 2013, a total of 25 cases with facial post-burn hyperpigmentation were treated with micro-plasma treatment for 3-5 times. The roller tip was used with setting of 60-90 watts and 3-4 passes were performed in different directions. Treatments were repeated at an interval of 8 weeks.

RESULTSAll patients tolerated the pain. After treatment, the facial hyperpigmentation improved. Complete recovery was achieved in 4 cases; significant improvement in 11 cases; moderate in 7 cases and no effect in 3 cases. No hyperpigmentation, depigmentation and scar formation was observed.

CONCLUSIONMicro-plasma radio frequency treatment is an ideal treatment for post-burn hyperpigmentation with lower side effect.

Aged ; Burns ; complications ; Cicatrix ; Facial Dermatoses ; etiology ; therapy ; Facial Injuries ; complications ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; etiology ; therapy ; Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment ; instrumentation ; methods

OBJECTIVEThere are no convenient techniques to evaluate the degree of facial nerve injury during a course of acupuncture treatment for Bell's palsy. Our previous studies found that observing the electrical response of specific facial muscles provided reasonable correlation with the prognosis of electroacupuncture treatment. Hence, we used the new method to evaluate the degree of facial nerve injury in patients with Bell's palsy in comparison with the House-Brackmann scale. The relationship between therapeutic effects and prognosis was analyzed to explore an objective method for evaluating Bell's palsy.

METHODSThe facial nerve function of 68 patients with Bell's palsy was assessed with both electrical response grading and the House-Brackmann scale before treatment. Then differences in evaluation results of the two methods were compared. All enrolled patients received electroacupuncture treatment with disperse-dense wave at 1/100 Hz for 4 weeks. After treatment, correlation analysis was conducted to find the relationship between electrical response and therapeutic effects or prognosis.

RESULTSChecking consistency between electrical response grading and House-Brackmann scale: Kappa value 0.028 (P = 0.578). Correlation analysis: the two methods were correlated with the prognosis, and electrical response grading (rER = 0.789) was better than the House-Brackmann scale (rHB = 0.423).

CONCLUSIONElectrical response grading is superior to the House-Brackmann scale in efficacy and reliability, and can conveniently assess the degree of facial nerve injury. The House-Brackmann scale is suitable for the patients with mild facial nerve injury, but its evaluation quality for severe facial nerve injury is poor.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bell Palsy ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; Facial Nerve ; physiopathology ; Facial Nerve Injuries ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recovery of Function ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Facial Injuries ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck Injuries ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Wounds, Penetrating ; therapy ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate peculiar patterns of facial asymmetry following incomplete recovery from facial paralysis that require optimal physical therapy for effective facial rehabilitation, and to decrease the incidence of avoidable facial sequelae. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study involved 41 patients who had facial sequelae following the treatment of various facial nerve diseases from March 2000 to March 2007. All patients with a follow-up of at least 1 year after the onset of facial paralysis or hyperactive function of the facial nerve were evaluated with the global and regional House-Brackmann (HB) grading systems. The mean global HB scores and regional HB scores with standard deviations were calculated. Other factors were also analyzed. RESULTS: Four patterns of facial asymmetry can be observed in patients with incomplete facial recovery. The most frequently deteriorated facial movement is frontal wrinkling, followed by an open mouth, smile, or lip pucker in patients with sequelae following facial nerve injury. The most common type of synkinesis was unintended eye closure with an effort to smile. CONCLUSION: We described common configurations of facial asymmetry seen in incomplete recovery following facial nerve injury in an attempt to develop an optimal strategy for physical therapy for complete and effective facial recovery, and to decrease the incidence of avoidable sequelae.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Face/physiopathology ; Facial Asymmetry/*physiopathology ; Facial Nerve/pathology ; Facial Nerve Injuries/physiopathology/therapy ; Facial Paralysis/physiopathology/*therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Treatment Outcome

Equipment Design ; Facial Injuries ; therapy ; First Aid ; instrumentation

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of constitutive nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-nitroarginine on the recovery of traumatic facial paralysis in rats and the changes of the expression of cNOS and OX42 in the facial nucleus.

METHODSL-nitroarginine was intraperitoneally injected into rats and the recovery of facial paralysis was observed at different time point. and the changes of cNOS and OX42 positive neurons were studied in facial nucleus.

RESULTSTreatment of L-nitroarginine could remarkably inhibit the recovery of traumatic facial paralysis. The cNOS immunoactivity was obvious inhibited in facial nucleus, while the OX42 immunoactivity was obvious increased.

CONCLUSIONEndogenous nitric oxide may play an important mediator role on the recovery of traumatic facial paralysis.

Animals ; Antigens, CD ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; Antigens, Surface ; Avian Proteins ; Basigin ; Blood Proteins ; Facial Injuries ; complications ; Facial Paralysis ; drug therapy ; Male ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; analysis ; Nitric Oxide ; physiology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; analysis ; Nitroarginine ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley