The Importance of Cutaneous Innervation in Wound Healing: From Animal Studies to Clinical Applications

The skin is a neuroimmunoendocrine organ that regularly undergoes injury and repair. The complex process of wound healing relies heavily on the cutaneous nervous system. Despite the observation that wound healing deficiencies cause significant morbidity and mortality for patients with nervous dysfunction across many disciplinaries, the role of cutaneous innervation in wound repair has not been well elucidated. In a previous article, we learned the basics of cutaneous neuroanatomy and the important neuropeptides involved in the wound healing process. Currently, we aim to synthesize the basics with observations from animal models and human studies for a more comprehensive understanding of nervous system involvement in cutaneous wound healing. We have demonstrated in this review, the importance of the cutaneous nervous system in each phase of wound healing through basic science research, animal experiments, and human studies.

Great auricular nerve schwannoma: a rare presentation and literature review

Head and neck schwannomas are a rare form of tumour arising from the nerve sheath. They are often slow growing and asymptomatic, posing a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. The great auricular nerve (GAN) provides cutaneous innervation to the lower pinna, ear lobule and the inferior periauricular area. Hence, surgical management of GAN schwannomas can have sensory and functional dysfunction postoperatively, necessitating good counselling and communication with the patient. We present the first documented case of GAN schwannoma in the West, with literature review and considerations for surgical management.