Mid-face Lift with Preauricular Pre-excision Technique

Lee, Min Woo; Jung, Jae Hak; Kim, Young Hwan; Sun, Hook

Abstract

PURPOSE
Facial nerve injury is a rare but feared complication of face lift. Uncertainty as to the depth and vulnerability of the facial nerve in face lift dissection causes some surgeon, particularly novices, to dissect slowly. Excessively thin flaps can be made because of fear of nerve injury, contributing to skin slough.
METHODS
From September 1998 to February 2003, the authors operated on 34 aging face patients using classical face-lift. We had analysed about quantity of skin removal and degree of elevated flap. The authors have found quantity of skin removal was 1.5-2.0cm, degree of elevated flap was 40-45 degree on average.
RESULTS
The authors performed preauricular pre-excision face-lift technique on 12 aging face patients from July 2003 to Feburary 2005 based on experienced surgery. This technique reduced fear of dissecting skin flap necrosis and facial nerve injury because of firmly attached pre-auricular skin removed in advance.
CONCLUSIONS
We easily dissected SMAS without visual field disturbance, nerve damage and reduced operation time and bleeding loss compared to classical face-lift.