Moisture Chamber for Eye Care after Facial Nerve Injury

Authors

Ryan Rimmer, MD, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Lauren Bogdan, MD, Thomas Jefferson University
Gregory Epps, MD, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Nikolaus Hjelm, MD, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Erin Reilly, MD, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow

Files

Description

Introduction

• Patients with various lesions of the head and neck may have compromise of facial nerve function.
• Facial nerve (CN VII) has various roles, including movement of facial muscles and, importantly, eye closure.
• When facial nerve is sacrificed or damaged during a surgical cases, steps are often taken intraop to surgically correct the deficit and allow eye closure. However, these patients may not immediately realize the benefit of these interventions.
• In the postop period, appropriate eye care is critical to prevent exposure keratopathy due to inability to close eye.
• Exposure keratopathy is damage to the cornea that occurs primarily due to prolonged exposure of the ocular surface to the outside environment. It can lead to ulceration, microbial keratitis, and permanent vision loss from scarring.

Publication Date

6-6-2019

City

Philadelphia

Keywords

quality improvement, facial nerve, moisture chamber, keratopathy, patient education

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Ophthalmology | Otolaryngology

Comments

Presented at the 2019 House Staff Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Conference

Recommended Citation

Rimmer, MD, Ryan; Bogdan, MD, Lauren; Epps, MD, Gregory; Hjelm, MD, Nikolaus; and Reilly, MD, Erin, "Moisture Chamber for Eye Care after Facial Nerve Injury" (2019). House Staff Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Conference (2016-2019). Poster 108.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/patientsafetyposters/108