[Histopathological observation of acute facial nerve impairment in rabbits].

To investigate histopathological changes of acute facial nerve impairment.Ligation of facial nerve outside stylomastoid foramen with 3-0 silk, observation of histopathological changes of facial nerve on the 1st day, 3rd day and 5th day after ligation.The facial nerve showed all kinds and various degrees of histopathological changes, from swelling to degeneration, in myeline and axon respectively.All kinds and various degrees of pathological changes have been observed in myeline and axon after the ligation of facial nerve in rabbits. This study demonstrates that such injuries to the facial nerve become increasingly serious as the ligation lasts day after day.