Cancer patient regains ability to smile after innovative surgery

A man who lost movement in his face after a cancer diagnosis says he can smile again after innovative surgery.

Daniel Kilty, 52, had a slow growing tumour in his cheek that wrapped around and invaded a nerve, causing total facial paralysis.

Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth carried out the operation, which Mr Kilty said had restored his confidence.

Mr Kilty, from Midhurst in West Sussex, said: "I'm not only cancer free, but I can smile again."

He first noticed signs that something was not right in December 2021, when his right eye became itchy and food was getting stuck between his teeth and inside cheek.

"The right side of my face collapsed, I looked perpetually grumpy," Mr Kilty said.

"I found it very difficult, the way that people would look at me - in the street, on the train, or in a shop - that slightly longer stare that says 'there's something wrong about how you look.'"

A surgical team of 12 carried out the rare procedure to remove the tumour.

They then replaced and connected a chewing nerve to a smiling nerve that gave movement and expression to his face.

Mr Kilty was the first patient at Queen Alexandra Hospital to undergo this specific surgical technique, called "facial reanimation", which was introduced at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust by surgeons Alex Goodson and Matthew Ward.

Dr Matthew Ward told the BBC: "We're so pleased to have given Daniel, who had total facial paralysis from an invasive cancer, the opportunity to not only live again but the chance to smile again.

"Without this procedure, Daniel would have been able to eat and speak fine, but he might not have had as much social confidence to be able to smile and demonstrate emotion in private or public."

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