Figure - available from: European Journal of Plastic Surgery
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Overview of normal and smiling photographs and left-left and right-right composites in patients with a right peripheral facial palsy(*Photographs used with permission). A Normal photograph. B Smiling photograph
Source publication
K.C. Garrison was the first to define laterality. Later on, this definition was widely accepted and is as follows: “preference in the use of homologous parts on one lateral half of the body over those on the other: dominance in function of one of a pair of lateral homologous parts studies of the laterality of individuals in the performance of diffe...
Citations
... Superimposing the affected region with anatomical landmarks, e.g., by mirroring the unaffected side of the face onto the diseased side, is a practical step in the assessment of tumor-associated changes in hard and soft tissues. This procedure is based on the fact that the neural territories of tumor-altered facial regions do not cross the anatomical boundary, i.e., the median-sagittal plane [14]. The classification of the facial skin surface according to dermatomes shows that in individual cases, the tumors can be assigned very variably to the defined areas. ...
Introduction
Facial plexiform neurofibromas (FPNF) are rare tumors frequently diagnosed in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a tumor predisposition syndrome. FPNF often grows invasively and destructively, which may complicate surgical treatment. Data on the frequency, location, and surgical procedures of patients with NF1-associated FPNF are scarce. This study provides treatment data from a nationally networked reference center for the treatment of NF1 patients.
Material and Methods
The localization and treatment data of 179 NF1 patients with FPNF were analyzed. Photographically documented tumors of the study area, further determined by imaging, were manually transferred to a facial scheme and digitized. The digitized registrations of the facial extensions of the tumors of each patient were overlaid in a single image (Photoshop™), so that the file of the facial scheme contained the sum of the tumor localization. Finally, the frequency of tumor localization was indicated with a color code. The frequency of tumor extension-related coded colors was applied to outline the lesions' topography on schematic face drawings (heat map).
Results
The distribution of the tumors showed no side preference. The need for the treatment of patients with orbital/periorbital manifestations became evident in the graphic representations. Tumors do not respect anatomical units. However, the classification of the face according to dermatomes, especially the trigeminal nerve, offers indications of tumor spread and guides treatment planning. The mean number of surgical measures per patient was 2.21 (median: 1). Extensive swelling, hematoma, and delayed wound healing were all common postoperative complications.
Conclusion
The color-coded, schematic overview of the frequency distribution of cutaneous tumor spread in NF1 patients with FPNF illustrates the importance of orbital/periorbital and cheek tumor manifestations in patients' treatment needs. The imaging procedure is suitable for controlling natural tumor growth in the same way as the documentation of the post-surgical course. Repeated interventions in the region are included in surgical planning of the progressing tumor disease.
