Objectives To systematically record rat facial nerve recovery following crush injury to the
main trunk with respect to ocular and vibrissial function and to compare the rates of facial
and sciatic nerve recovery from crush injury in the same animals. This serves as a means of
validating the functional parameters of facial nerve recovery against the well-known
measure of hind limb function, the Sciatic Function Index. Methods The main trunk of the
facial nerve and the proximal segment of the sciatic nerve were exposed in all animals. Both …