Dec. 13, 2025
Given their complexity, facial nerve conditions are well suited for a collaborative approach to care. The facial reanimation clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, brings a multidisciplinary team together to collaboratively assess and treat patients of all ages with a wide range of facial nerve disorders.
About 15 years ago, two Mayo Clinic physicians realized they were seeing the same patients with facial nerve conditions, and they discussed how to improve coordination and collaborative efforts. Elizabeth A. Bradley, M.D., an ophthalmic plastic surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, and Samir Mardini, M.D., a plastic surgeon and chair of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, recognized that their shared patients often also needed to have the cause of their facial nerve palsy determined prior to establishing plans for treatment. They reached out to Beth E. Robertson, M.D., their colleague and a neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, for her specialized expertise, and the first iteration of the facial reanimation clinic was born.
"Although each patient's individual needs are unique, we have found that nearly all patients benefit from the shared expertise of our team," says Dr. Bradley. The facial reanimation clinic helps patients coordinate and streamline any necessary imaging, standardized photographs, labs and appointments. Then the entire team — including physicians from plastic surgery, neurology, oculoplastic surgery, optometry, and physical medicine and rehabilitation — comes together to discuss the most effective, personalized course of treatment.
"Patients are able to have a single assessment with multiple specialties typically within one day," says Dr. Bradley. "This team approach builds trust with our patients, and they really sense that we're working together as a team to create a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan."
For example, some patients come to the clinic after losing facial function due to nerve damage from Bell's palsy, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a parotid tumor, a skull base tumor or a stroke. Drs. Bradley, Mardini and Robertson and the team work with each patient to develop a personalized treatment plan for facial reanimation.
The facial reanimation team can employ a range of procedures to restore functionality and facial symmetry. These procedures range from non-surgical treatments, such as Botox for overactive muscles, to more complex surgeries like nerve repair or nerve and muscle transfer. "We restore function through connecting nerves and sometimes bringing new muscles to the face to improve aesthetics and achieve a more symmetric smile," says Dr. Mardini. "It's a science, but there's also a bit of art involved."
"Oftentimes patients are referred to me primarily because of the symptoms they're encountering with their eyes. However, the patients are also experiencing equally distressing symptoms in other areas of the face," says Dr. Bradley. "Many patients have been enduring these symptoms for a long period of time, sometimes their entire lives, and have been told that there's not much that can be done. We're grateful to be able to serve a full range of patients — regarding age and diagnosis — and offer integrated medical and surgical management with a variety of treatment options."
Looking ahead, the facial reanimation team continues to collaborate on research studies to move the field forward and innovate pivotal surgical techniques together, paving the way for breakthroughs in research centered around the facial nerve, facial anatomy, regenerative medicine and craniofacial diseases.
Research highlights:
- Virtual surgical planning in craniofacial surgery.
- Virtual surgical planning and 3D-printed surgical guides in facial allotransplantation.
- Whole eye transplant — The journey begins.
- The epidemiology and treatment outcomes of facial nerve palsy using a population-based method.
For more information
Chim H, et al. Virtual surgical planning in craniofacial surgery. Seminars in Plastic Surgery. 2014;28:150.
Vyas K, et al. Virtual surgical planning and 3D-printed surgical guides in facial allotransplantation. Seminars in Plastic Surgery. 2022;36:199.
Bradley EA, et al. Whole eye transplant — The journey begins. JAMA Ophthalmology. 2024;142:897.
Hwang CJ, et al. The epidemiology and treatment outcomes of facial nerve palsy using a population-based method. Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2025;41:549.
Refer a patient to Mayo Clinic.