Neurological assessment of facial features in patients with cerebrovascular disease

Objective: In the treatment of post-acute cerebrovascular disease it may be possible to assess the consciousness levels of patients who have difficulty communicating by evaluating changes in facial features. To determine the usefulness of changes in facial features for assessment in neurological nursing, the correlation between the process of recovery from consciousness disturbance and the facial features of patients with cerebrovascular disease was investigated. Methods: Using a tool for facial image processing, the average faces of three patients with cerebrovascular disease were produced and the nurses then instructed to describe the characteristic changes in facial features associated with the process of recovery from consciousness disturbance. Results: As patient consciousness levels improved, facial features such as eyelid muscles, mouth muscles, and orofacial contours changed, owing to improved motor function of the mandibular bone. Changes in facial features are useful for assessment in neurologic...