Abstract
Summary
Mixtures of local anesthetic substances dissolved in oil were injected into the subcutaneous tissues of the face in cats. Paralysis of the orbicularis oculi muscle was invariably obtained with solutions containing either procaine base or nupercaine hydrochloride. The paralysis lasted from several hours as a minimum to a maximum of 21 days. Histological examination of the tissues 10-31 days after injection revealed degeneration of facial nerve fibers in every case. The amount of degeneration varied from a few scattered fibers to complete in some branches. In general the amount of degeneration corresponded to the duration of the paralysis. Injections of the oil vehicle alone caused no paralysis and no degeneration.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.