March 11, 2009 -- Implanting an artificial muscle in the temple could restore people's ability to wink, and eventually may help them smile, say scientists and surgeons. The new technique, developed at the University of California, Davis and SRI International, has worked successfully on cadavers. Eventually it could help living people suffering from stroke, Mobius Syndrome, or battlefield injuries to gain control over the muscles in their face. "The concept is very exciting; thousands of people could benefit from this," said Wayne Larabee, a surgeon and editor of the Archives of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery who was not involved in the research. "Theoretically it could have a wide range of applications if it turns out to be useful." A person can lose the ability to control facial muscles many ways. Some people, like those with Mobius Syndrome, are born without the ability to make facial expressions. Other people have facial tumors removed, and lose the nerve that extends out of the brain near the ear and spreads out on the face. Related Content:
Like any other muscle that doesn't work, unused facial muscle shrink while gravity pulls them down. Without the ability to close the mouth, patients drool. An eternally open eye dries out and can eventually lose sight altogether. Surgeons currently have several options to restore a wink. By far the most common and aesthetically pleasing option is to embed a small 1.2-gram, chip of gold in the eyebrow. The weight of the gold works to pull the eye closed, rather than relying on muscle. The muscles that open the eye still function because they are attached to a separate nerve. Other surgical options exist, including transplanting an entire section of muscle, nerve, artery and vein and sewing it to the face or co-opting the jaw muscle to pull the eye closed. Both give faster control but look unnatural and have safety risks. "Our goal was to find a way to reanimate the face while minimizing the risk to patients," said Travis Tollefson, a surgeon at UC-Davis, who along with Craig Senders, have successfully tried the technique in human cadavers and gerbils. The two surgeons, along with SRI colleagues, start with the same incisions that would implant a gold chip into the upper eyelid. Instead of gold, they implant a "sling" of Gore-Tex, the same waterproof and breathable fabric commonly found in outdoor pants and jackets. Using the same incision for a lower eye lid reduction, the surgeons place another sling at the lower eye. Both slings are anchored by the nose, and attached to an artificial muscle hidden in the temple. Get More NewsMouse Cloned From Long-Frozen CellResearchers create a mouse from a long-frozen cell. Will the mammoth be next?'Bubble' Could Protect AstronautsScientists say a "bubble" around a Mars-bound spaceship could protect astronauts.Big Reduction of Snowmobiles in Yellowstone ProposedA new plan would cut snowmobile use by 40 percent in Yellowstone.Microbes: Fuel of the Future?A reddish South American microbe is literally breathing fuel, say scientists.DNA Links Remains to Steve FossetDNA tests on two bones found in California confirm they are those of Steve Fossett.Women Carry More Bacteria Than MenSome bacteria prefer women, suggests a new study. But why?Ancient 'Water Monster' Facing ExtinctionA foot-long salamander that was a key part of Aztec legend is threatened by extinction.Grand Canyon's Youth ConfirmedThe Grand Canyon is millions of years younger than previously thought, argue geologists.My Take: E-Voting Not User FriendlyOpinion: Electronic voting machines don't always capture the intent of voters.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.At 40, Brain and Body SlowThe part of the brain in charge of motion starts a gradual slide in middle age.Spiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates. |
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