TUESDAY, Nov. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Use of supraperiosteal fat repositioning during lower eyelid blepharoplasty results in elevation of the orbicularis muscle edge, according to a study published in the November/December issue of the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.
Steven M. Couch, M.D., from Saint Louis University, and colleagues assessed intraoperative changes in the position of the orbicularis muscle edge during trans-conjunctival lower eyelid blepharoplasty with supraperiosteal fat repositioning in 30 consecutive patients. Intraoperative measurement of the elevation of the released orbicularis muscle edge was carried out. Following fixation of the repositioned orbital fat, the distance between the midinferior orbital rim and inferior orbicularis muscle edge, which was earlier located below the orbital rim, was measured using a "dipstick" method.
The investigators found that the released orbicularis muscle edge was raised an average of 8.8 mm above the orbital rim (range, 6 to 12 mm). In 24 of the cases, measurements were within 1 mm between the two sides of a given patient, and measurements in all patients were within 2 mm. The muscle elevation achieved using externalized suture fixation of repositioned fat in 22 patients and that achieved with internal suture fixation in eight patients did not result in any apparent difference.
"The eyelid-cheek interface is significantly elevated with our surgical technique of fat repositioning in the supraperiosteal plane. Elevation of the orbicularis muscle edge may contribute to improved blepharoplasty results in treating the aging midface," the authors write.
Abstract
