Fig. 3

Different degrees of facial nerve injury and corresponding management. a b Illustrations of the decompression; a facial nerve was edematous (white arrow) and fallopian canal was defective (black arrow); b drilled the fallopian canal until more than 5 mm normal neural trunk appeared. c d Illustrations of decompression and realignment of axons; c facial nerve was superficially transected and edematous; d decompressed facial nerve, realigned the axons and reset the sheath. e f Illustrations of great auricular nerve graft; e facial nerve was transected between geniculate ganglion and mastoid segment; f the great auricular nerve graft was interposed between transected nerve endings