The Static Sling is a minimally invasive surgical technique designed specifically for people with complete or partial facial paralysis. It’s particularly beneficial for individuals with significant facial asymmetry from permanent facial nerve damage. Most people with a complete facial nerve paralysis are helped by the Sling but since it is a minimal and reversible operation, people with partial or still improving nerve function often benefit as well. The Sling helps restore both symmetry at rest and lessen the functional problems on the affected side of the face, such as loss of the normal smile line, shift of the lip toward the intact side, redundant cheek tissue and poor nasal breathing. Most facial nerve cases are due to a Bell’s Palsy and Acoustic Neuroma.

PURPOSE:

The primary goal of the Static Sling procedure is restoring a degree of symmetry to the face by creating a smile fold, that is the nasolabial fold between the nose and mouth, and improve many of the functional issues paralysis causes like poor nasal airway and excess eyelid opening. The procedure does this by creating a permanent adjustable sling suspension of the face anchored in the temple.

PROCEDURE: 

During the procedure, the surgeon places a supportive sling under the skin and muscles of the face using a unique specially designed instrument that allows passage of the sling from a small incision in the temple into the face with minimal surgical trauma and no facial incisions. This sling provides structural support, effectively lifting the paralyzed features and restoring a more balanced and functional appearance. The technique is so minimal that it can be performed safely without damage to partial nerve function or existing muscle reanimation surgery. 

Some physicians and facial paralysis clinics recommend complicated cross facial nerve grafts, free muscle flaps or nerve transfer surgeries to replace non-functioning muscles with functional ones. Although these procedures are elegant and offer the possibility of restoration of movement in the paralyzed face, in the adult population the reality is that such lengthy and complex procedures offer limited success rates, involve multiple incisions, donor site problems and require lengthy healing periods. In contrast, Dr. Aronowitz’s Static Sling surgery offers a unique and updated version of a traditional approach. It is akin to using puppet strings to create a static state, effectively restoring a measure of facial symmetry at rest and a significant reduction in the distortion of facial features with speaking and expression. In the longer term, the sling provides a constant force to oppose the exaggerated pull of the intact opposite side facial muscle which tend to pull the midline features toward the unparalyzed side. Thus, the sling restores a semblance of normalcy without the drawbacks of traditional muscle transfer procedures.