Revisiting Primary Otoplasty: Surgical Approach to the Prominent Ear.

SUMMARY: Prominent ears and other ear deformities are some of the most common congenital deformities of the head, affecting over 10 percent of the general population. In 2018, more than 10,000 otoplasties were performed in the United States, with over one-third performed on men. The goal of primary otoplasty is creation of a normal-appearing ear without evidence of surgical intervention. This article and video detail the authors' preferred technique for the treatment of prominent ears. This novel method allows for reduction of a hypertrophic concha and obtuse conchoscaphal angle, as well as creation of an adequate antihelical fold.

Achieving Aesthetic Results in the Umbilical Float Mini-Abdominoplasty: Patient Selection and Surgical Technique.

BACKGROUND: The umbilical float mini-abdominoplasty has been criticized for low final umbilicus position and umbilical distortion. The authors believe that in the properly selected patient and with proper technique, the umbilical float can achieve superior aesthetic results in a subset of patients. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of all umbilical floats performed by two surgeons (B.A.H. and H.S.B.) at the authors' institution. Postoperative photographs were reviewed by 20 blinded evaluators. RESULTS: Thirty-one female patients underwent umbilical float mini-abdominoplasty between 2010 and 2017. All patients had starting umbilicus position at or above the level of the iliac crest. The umbilicus was floated for a distance of 1 to 3.5 cm. Average umbilicus position was slightly above the midpoint between the xiphoid and pubis preoperatively, and slightly below the midpoint postoperatively. Final umbilicus was considered "too low" in five patients (18.5 percent), all of which were positioned at the level of the anterior superior iliac spine. CONCLUSIONS: Optimal candidates for the umbilical float mini-abdominoplasty are postpartum women with normal body mass index, mild to moderate infraumbilical skin excess, and minimal to mild supraumbilical excess. Starting umbilicus position should be at or above the level of iliac crests, or slightly above the mid torso. Final umbilicus position should remain above the anterior superior iliac spine. The umbilical base is reattached with multiple sutures to prevent distortion. At least 10 cm of hairless lower abdominal skin should be maintained between the final scar and navel to prevent a low-appearing umbilicus. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Classification of Newborn Ear Malformations and their Treatment with the EarWell Infant Ear Correction System.

BACKGROUND: A single practice's treatment protocol and outcomes following molding therapy on newborn ear deformations and malformations with the EarWell Infant Ear Correction System were reviewed. A classification system for grading the severity of constricted ear malformations was created on the basis of anatomical findings. METHODS: A retrospective chart/photograph review of a consecutive series of infants treated with the EarWell System from 2011 to 2014 was undertaken. The infants were placed in either deformation or malformation groups. Three classes of malformation were identified. Data regarding treatment induction, duration of treatment, and quality of outcome were collected for all study patients. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-five infant ear malformations and 303 infant ear deformities were treated with the EarWell System. The average age at initiation of treatment was 12 days; the mean duration of treatment was 37 days. An average of six office visits was required. Treated malformations included constricted ears [172 ears (98 percent)] and cryptotia [three ears (2 percent)]. Cup ear (34 ears) was considered a constricted malformation, in contrast to the prominent ear deformity. Constricted ears were assigned to one of three classes, with each subsequent class indicating increasing severity: class I, 77 ears (45 percent); class II, 81 ears (47 percent); and class III, 14 ears (8 percent). Molding therapy with the EarWell System reduced the severity by an average of 1.2 points (p < 0.01). Complications included minor superficial excoriations and abrasions. CONCLUSION: The EarWell System was shown to be effective in eliminating or reducing the need for surgery in all but the most severe malformations. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Endoscopic management of the difficult lower eyelid: a review of 300 cases.

BACKGROUND: The senior author's (H.S.B.) endoscopic brow and midface lift technique has a series of periorbital suture points. This study evaluated the efficacy of endoscopic treatment of the difficult lower eyelid and identifies the preoperative predictive patterns for additional suture placement and ancillary procedures within this population. METHODS: Patients who underwent endoscopic brow and midface lift performed by the senior author were stratified into categories of preoperative lower eyelid morphologies, including lower eyelid retraction, negative canthal tilt, negative vector orbit, exorbitism, and a deep tear trough. Intraoperative treatment and postoperative course were recorded and postoperative photographs were evaluated objectively. The data were analyzed to determine preoperative predictive patterns of endoscopic lower eyelid treatment. RESULTS: Three hundred patients who underwent an endoscopic brow and midface lift between 1999 and 2008 were included in the study, with an average follow-up of 1 year. Most patients were treated with endoscopic orbicularis oculi repositioning combined with midface elevation. Additional suture points were used in 12 percent, with preexisting scleral show being the most common indication for additional endoscopic suture placement. There were no cases of postoperative lower eyelid retraction. Skin resurfacing and volumetric filling were the most common revision procedures. CONCLUSIONS: The difficult lower eyelid can be treated effectively with endoscopic orbicularis repositioning and midface elevation. This technique preserves the innervation and continuity of the orbicularis oculi muscle, decreasing postoperative complications. Additional suture application is needed in only a minority of patients, and ancillary lower eyelid procedures can be performed safely in the same operative setting.

Ear molding in newborn infants with auricular deformities.

BACKGROUND: A review of a single physician's experience in managing over 831 infant ear deformities (488 patients) is presented. METHODS: The authors' methods of molding have advanced from the use of various tapes, glues, and stents, to a comprehensive yet simple system that shapes the antihelix, the triangular fossa, the helical rim, and the overly prominent conchal-mastoid angle (EarWell Infant Ear Correction System). RESULTS: The types of deformities managed, and their relative occurrence, are as follows: (1) prominent/cup ear, 373 ears (45 percent); (2) lidding/lop ear, 224 ears (27 percent); (3) mixed ear deformities, 83 ears (10 percent) (all had associated conchal crus); (4) Stahl's ear, 66 ears (8 percent); (5) helical rim abnormalities, 58 ears (7 percent); (6) conchal crus, 25 ears (3 percent); and (7) cryptotia, two ears (0.2 percent). Bilateral deformities were present in 340 patients (70 percent), with unilateral deformities in 148 patients (30 percent). Fifty-eight infant ears (34 patients) were treated using the final version of the EarWell Infant Ear Correction System with a success rate exceeding 90 percent (good to excellent results). The system was found to be most successful when begun in the first week of the infant's life. When molding was initiated after 3 weeks from birth, only approximately half of the infants had a good response. CONCLUSIONS: Congenital ear deformities are common and only approximately 30 percent self-correct. These deformities can be corrected by initiating appropriate molding in the first week of life. Neonatal molding reduces the need for surgical correction with results that often exceed what can be achieved with the surgical alternative.

Fifty years of the Millard rotation-advancement: looking back and moving forward.

Of all the methods for repair of the unilateral cleft lip, none has gained as much popularity as the rotation-advancement. Millard's original principle of 50 years ago continues to guide surgeons in closure of the cleft lip. Unlike earlier procedures, the brilliance of the rotation-advancement is that it permits individual manipulation and modifications while maintaining Millard's original surgical and anatomical goals. Millard and many other surgeons have made modifications to adjust the procedure to each specific patient, to address some of its faults, and to gain new advantages. In this article, the authors review the techniques of Drs. Ralph Millard, Steve Byrd, Court Cutting, John Mulliken, and Samuel Stal. The variations from Millard's original technique are highlighted, including a discussion of the benefits of each modification.

Management of the midface during facial rejuvenation.

The endoscopic midface lift procedure has evolved from experience with postreduction soft tissue repair after facial fracture fixation. The procedure elevates and repositions midface soft tissue, which descends with facial aging; as well, it can correct periorbital congenital abnormalities, such as exorbitism and lateral canthal displacement. The procedure has been refined by the senior author to employ a temporal endoscopic approach alleviating the need for a lower eyelid incision. The plane is sub-SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system) within the pre-zygomatic space with release of the zygo-orbicular ligament and the malar retaining ligament. Using an endoscopically placed suture in the malar retaining ligament, the midface and orbicularis oculi are elevated en bloc, with additional selective sutures applied for specific lower eyelid and cheek morphology. Ancillary lower eyelid procedures including skin resurfacing, skin excision, soft tissue augmentation, and a transblepharoplasty septal reset can all be safely applied to the lower eyelid in the same operative setting. All procedures are technically advanced though once executed deliver an exact correction of the midface, which can be combined with both brow and lower face rejuvenation. The procedure offers limited recovery time and few complications as the facial surgeon becomes facile with the technique.

Bilateral cleft lip and nasal repair.

SUMMARY: The bilateral cleft lip and nasal repair has remained a challenging endeavor. Techniques have evolved to address concerns over unsatisfactory features and stigmata of the surgery. The authors present an approach to this complex clinical problem that modifies traditional repairs described by Millard and Manchester. The senior author (H.S.B.) has developed this technique with over 25 years of surgical experience dealing with the bilateral cleft lip. This staged lip and nasal repair provides excellent nasal projection, lip function, and aesthetic outcomes. Lip repair is performed at 3 months of age. Columellar lengthening is performed at approximately 18 months of age. A key component of this repair focuses on reconstruction of the central tubercle. A triangular prolabial dry vermilion flap is augmented by lateral lip vermilion flaps that include the profundus muscle of the orbicularis oris. This minimizes lateral lip segment sacrifice and provides improved central vermilion fullness, which is often deficient in traditional repairs. The authors present the surgical technique and examples of their clinical results.

Definitive repair of the unilateral cleft lip nasal deformity.

The majority of patients with a unilateral cleft nasal deformity still benefit from additional nasal surgery in their teenage years, despite having undergone a primary nasal repair. However, the secondary nasal deformity of these patients stands in sharp contrast to those of children who have not benefited from primary repair. The authors' algorithm for the definitive correction of these secondary deformities considers the differences in these two patient groups and defines their indications for rib cartilage grafts and their method of using septal and ear cartilage in the repair. Balancing the muscle forces on the septum and alar cartilage is emphasized in both the primary and secondary repair. Both cartilage malposition and hypoplasia of the lower lateral cartilage complex have been identified as factors contributing to the deformity.

Using the autospreader flap in primary rhinoplasty.

BACKGROUND: When performing dorsal reduction in primary rhinoplasty, one must pay close attention to the height of the upper lateral cartilages. They are in part responsible for the dorsal aesthetic lines and often require a lower profile. METHODS: The technique the authors describe uses the transverse portion of the upper lateral cartilages rotated medially to function as a local spreader flap while reducing the profile of the dorsum and preserving the aesthetic lines. This is a surgical technique that adjusts the height of the upper lateral cartilages in a precise and safe manner while preserving the function of the internal valve. RESULTS: The authors present two patients seen at 1 and 3 years after undergoing the autospreader flap technique. In the experience of the senior author (H.S.B.) with this procedure over the past decade, preoperative surgical goals were achieved reliably. CONCLUSIONS: The authors review the anatomical indications in which they found this technique to be simple, reproducible, and effective in shaping the dorsal midvault while preserving the function of the internal valve. Autospreader flap rotation should be considered when dorsal reduction is required.

Safety and efficacy in an accredited outpatient plastic surgery facility: a review of 5316 consecutive cases.

Advances in medicine have improved the delivery of health care, making it more technologically superior than ever and, at the same time, more complex. Nowhere is this more evident than in the surgical arena. Plastic surgeons are able to perform procedures safely in office-based facilities that were once reserved only for hospital operating rooms or ambulatory surgery centers. Performing procedures in the office is a convenience to both the surgeon and the patient. Some groups have challenged that performing plastic surgery procedures in an office-based facility compromises patient safety. Our study was done to determine whether outcomes are adversely affected by performing plastic surgery procedures in an accredited outpatient surgical center. A retrospective review was performed on 5316 consecutive cases completed between 1995 and 2000 at Dallas Day Surgical Center, Dallas, Texas, an outpatient surgical facility. Most cases were cosmetic procedures. All cases were analyzed for any potential morbidity or mortality. Complications requiring a return to the operating room were determined, as were infection rates. Events leading to inpatient hospitalization were also included. During this 6-year period, 35 complications (0.7 percent) and no deaths were reported. Most complications were secondary to hematoma formation (77 percent). The postoperative infection rate for patients requiring a return to the operating room was 0.11 percent. Seven patients required inpatient hospitalization following their procedure secondary to arrhythmias, angina, and pulmonary emboli. Patient safety must take precedence over cost and convenience. Any monetary savings or time gained is quickly lost if safety is compromised and complications are incurred. The safety profile of the outpatient facility must meet and even exceed that of the traditional hospital-based or ambulatory care facility. After reviewing our experience over the last 6 years that indicated few complications and no deaths, we continue to support the judicious use of accredited outpatient surgical facilities by board-certified plastic surgeons in the management of plastic surgery patients.

Achieving aesthetic balance in the brow, eyelids, and midface.

An approach to the brow, eyelids, and midface emphasizing release and advancement of the orbicularis oculi muscle, conservative removal of orbital fat, preservation of the nerve supply to the orbicularis oculi muscle, and avoidance of canthal division was evaluated in 100 consecutive patients. The technique describes the selected release of three key retaining ligaments to the forehead, brow, and upper eyelid; mobilization of the lateral retinaculum and division of the lower lid retaining ligament; and division of the midface malar retaining ligament (zygomatic-cutaneous ligament). Preservation of motor branches to the lower lid orbicularis is stressed. Of significance to this series of patients is the inclusion of 50 patients with morphologically prone lower eyelids defined as atonic lower lids, exorbitism, and/or negative vector orbits. Three sites had failure of brow fixation, two patients had midface asymmetry requiring revision, and three patients failed to have complete correction of their preoperative lower lid retraction. There was zero incidence of scleral show or lower lid retraction that was not present preoperatively. No patients required division of the lateral commissure with canthoplasty, taping or suture suspension, massage, or steroid injections. Only two patients required division of the deep head of the lateral canthus, and these patients were noted to have had lateral canthal malposition preoperatively.