Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39498101›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in digital health2024

Innovative mobile app solution for facial nerve rehabilitation: a usability analysis.

Kathrin Machetanz, Mario Lins, Constantin Roder, Georgios Naros, Marcos Tatagiba, Helene Hurth

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in digital health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Evidence summary: facial nerve rehabilitationtraining management for patients with peripheral facial paralysis.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Kathrin MachetanzDepartment of Neurosurgery and Neurotechnology, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
Mario LinsInstitute of Networks and Security, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria.
Constantin RoderDepartment of Neurosurgery and Neurotechnology, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
Georgios NarosDepartment of Neurosurgery and Neurotechnology, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
Marcos TatagibaDepartment of Neurosurgery and Neurotechnology, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.
Helene HurthDepartment of Neurosurgery and Neurotechnology, Eberhard Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Facial palsy after vestibular schwannoma surgery is temporary in many cases but can significantly affect patients' quality of life. Physical training-initially guided and subsequently performed by the patient-is of paramount importance for recovery of facial nerve function. The introduction of medical application software (apps) might improve therapy by maintaining motivation for daily home-based training and surveilling patients' rehabilitation progress. Methods: We developed a mobile app, "FACEsemper", for home-based facial nerve rehabilitation. This app guides patients through a daily training program comprising six variable exercises, each performed in three repetitions. The app allows the user to customize the exercise intensity for different facial areas and includes a reminder function for daily training. Additional features include photo documentation, a calendar function, training report generation, and the possibility of direct communication with the attending physician. The app's usability was prospectively investigated with 27 subjects, including 8 physicians, 9 patients with facial palsy and 10 healthy subjects, over a two-week period. Usability was assessed using various self-rating questionnaires (i.e., mHealth App Usability Questionnaire, MAUQ; System Usability Scale, SUS; Visual Aesthetics of Apps Inventory, VisAAI) and scores were compared across the groups. Results: The participants reported an average smartphone use of 12.19 years and completed a mean number of 290 ± 163 facial exercises during the study period. Patients used the app significantly more frequently than the other two groups ( Conclusion: This usability study demonstrated a positive user experience and excellent usability of the FACEsemper app. However, some limitations and areas for improvement were identified. As a next step, the app should be evaluated in a large patient cohort with facial palsy to determine its potential medical benefits for facial rehabilitation compared to traditional training methods.

Indexed as

APPfacial palsyrehabilitationsmartphoneusabilityvestibular schwannoma

Identifiers

PMID39498101
PMCPMC11532141

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.