Research design
peripheral facial paresis, nerve injury
VISAGE is a single-blind, prospective, controlled, randomized multicenter study in 82 participants with chronic unilateral peripheral facial paresis (> 1 year since facial nerve injury). The trial will be run in four tertiary centers, including maxillofacial surgery (2), otolaryngology (1) and neurorehabilitation (1) units. For all participants, the study will begin at inclusion (Day-30). At that time point, the investigator will implement computerized randomization to assign a group treatment to the patient, between Guided Self-rehabilitation Contract (GSC) and conventional therapy (CONV) alone, for six months. A delay of one month between inclusion (D-30) and the first assessment (D1) is anticipated to account for the time to find a therapist and to ensure timely rehabilitation onset (D1) for the participants in the CONV group. In the GSC group, the participants will be free to continue potential preexistent conventional therapy if there was any. The total duration of subject participation in the study is seven months. Study data will be analyzed through intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses.