Arch Aesthetic Plast Surg.  2019 Jul;25(3):89-94. 10.14730/aaps.2019.01760.

Feasibility of a de-epithelialized orbicularis oculi musculocutaneous flap for subbrow blepharoplasty

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. tfm0822@catholic.ac.kr

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Subbrow blepharoplasty (SBB) has advantages over traditional blepharoplasty in that it results in more natural-looking creases and contours and is more effective for lateral periorbital rejuvenation. However, in older patients with sunken upper eyelid, this procedure might make the superior eyelid sulcus appear worse because the thicker upper eyelid tissue in the subbrow area is replaced by thinner tissue. To overcome this limitation, we developed a de-epithelialized musculocutaneous flap for SBB.
METHODS
From August 2016 to January 2018, 13 patients with sunken upper eyelid deformity underwent SBB. For each of these patients, a typical SBB incision was made, but the tissue usually removed in SBB was dissected as a flap based on the branch of the ophthalmic vessel. After elevation, the flap was transposed or folded to correct the sunken deformity. The results were assessed by the patients themselves and by three plastic surgeons at 6 months postoperatively.
RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 63 years (range, 47-81 years). There were no postoperative complications related to wound dehiscence, hypertrophic scarring, or sensory changes. All patients and plastic surgeons provided scores indicating good to excellent results and were satisfied with the cosmetic outcomes. All patients reported improved functional visual acuity after surgery.
CONCLUSIONS
Our technique is simple and effectively addresses both sunken upper eyelid deformity and dermatochalasis. Unlike fat or dermofat grafting, our new technique does not require an additional donor site, and it is more reliable in terms of vascularity.

Keyword

Blepharoplasty; Eyelids; Myocutaneous flap

MeSH Terms

Blepharoplasty*
Cicatrix, Hypertrophic
Congenital Abnormalities
Eyelids
Humans
Myocutaneous Flap*
Plastics
Postoperative Complications
Rejuvenation
Surgeons
Tissue Donors
Transplants
Visual Acuity
Wounds and Injuries
Plastics
Full Text Links
  • AAPS
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr