Free rectus femoris muscle transfer for one-stage reconstruction of established facial paralysis.

The free vascularized rectus femoris muscle graft with a long motor nerve was used for reconstruction of unilateral established facial paralysis in one stage. The pedicle vessels were anastomosed to the recipient vessels in the ipsilateral face, and the motor nerve of the muscle, which was led through the upper lip, was sutured to the contralateral facial nerve. The advantages of this onestage reconstruction as compared with surgery involving second-stage reconstruction are that the reconstriction can be completed in one stage and that the period required for muscle refunctioning after surgery is short. The vascular supply of the rectus femoris muscle can emanate mainly from the lateral circumflex femoral artery