Current Trends in Upper and Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty Among American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Members.

PURPOSE: To assess current practice patterns for management of upper and lower eyelid blepharoplasty by active American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery members. METHODS: An invitation to participate in a web-based anonymous survey was sent to the active American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery membership via email. The survey consists of 34 questions, both multiple choice and free response, regarding upper and lower eyelid blepharoplasty surgery. Practice patterns for both aesthetic and functional blepharoplasty are assessed. RESULTS: Thirty-four percent (161/472) of American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery members polled responded to the survey. Members perform an average of 196 upper eyelid, 46 lower eyelid, and 53 four-eyelid blepharoplasty procedures per year, with 70% of cases being functional and 30% purely aesthetic. Most members prefer monitored care (71%) to local (21%) or general (8%) anesthesia. Eighty-nine percent of surgeons use topical antibiotics after surgery, erythromycin being the most common (51%). Fourteen percent of members use postoperative oral antibiotics, with cephalexin (81%) being most common. In upper eyelid blepharoplasty, orbicularis muscle is excised by 86% of respondents. Orbital fat is excised, when deemed appropriate, in 97% of cases, with nasal fat excised most commonly (88%). Less commonly, fat repositioning (36%) and adjunctive fat grafting (33%) are performed. In lower eyelid blepharoplasty, surgeons report using one or more of the following approaches: transconjunctival (96%), transcutaneous (82%), and both transconjunctival and transcutaneous (51%). Common adjunctive procedures include orbital fat excision (99%), fat repositioning (80%), and lateral canthal suspension (96%). Less common adjunctive procedures include laser skin resurfacing (36%) and chemical peels (29%). CONCLUSIONS: This report outlines contemporary practice patterns among active American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery members in the management of upper and lower eyelid blepharoplasty. It is important to quantify such data periodically to update the membership as to how this common surgical procedure is approached. This also allows eyelid surgeons to compare their practice patterns with a national group specializing in such surgery.

Botulinum Toxin and Muscle Atrophy: A Wanted or Unwanted Effect.

While the facial rejuvenating effect of botulinum toxin type A is well known and widespread, its use in body and facial contouring is less common. We first describe its use for deliberate muscle volume reduction, and then document instances of unanticipated and undesirable muscle atrophy. Finally, we investigate the potential long-term adverse effects of botulinum toxin-induced muscle atrophy. Although the use of botulinum toxin type A in the cosmetic patient has been extensively studied, there are several questions yet to be addressed. Does prolonged botulinum toxin treatment increase its duration of action? What is the mechanism of muscle atrophy and what is the cause of its reversibility once treatment has stopped? We proceed to examine how prolonged chemodenervation with botulinum toxin can increase its duration of effect and potentially contribute to muscle atrophy. Instances of inadvertent botulinum toxin-induced atrophy are also described. These include the "hourglass deformity" secondary to botulinum toxin type A treatment for migraine headaches, and a patient with atrophy of multiple facial muscles from injections for hemifacial spasm. Numerous reports demonstrate that muscle atrophy after botulinum toxin type A treatment occurs and is both reversible and temporary, with current literature supporting the notion that repeated chemodenervation with botulinum toxin likely responsible for both therapeutic and incidental temporary muscle atrophy. Furthermore, duration of response may be increased with subsequent treatments, thus minimizing frequency of reinjection. Practitioners should be aware of the temporary and reversible effect of botulinum toxin-induced muscle atrophy and be prepared to reassure patients on this matter.

Injectable 5-FU with or without added steroid in periorbital skin grafting: initial observations.

PURPOSE: The authors describe their experience with postoperative injectable 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), with or without added low-dose and concentration steroid, in the particular patient subset undergoing eyelid skin grafting surgery. METHODS: A retrospective chart review (2011-2013) of patients who underwent eyelid skin grafting for various etiologies with adjunctive postoperative 5-FU (50 mg/ml) injections (with or without added kenalog 5 mg/ml) was performed. Injections were given 2 to 3 weeks postsurgery and as frequently as every 2 weeks for a total of up to 4 injections. At each visit, patients were evaluated for redness, swelling, wound healing, scar formation, tissue inflammation/atrophy, telangiectasis, and pigmentary disturbances. Patient interpretation of outcome was determined subjectively by asking if they were satisfied and objectively by their separate responses to specific questions graded on a Likert-type scale. Operating surgeon satisfaction was determined only by subjective clinical evaluation of final results. Finally, a graded evaluation of pre- and postoperative digital photographs by an independent facial plastic surgeon was added to quantitatively evaluate the surgical results. RESULTS: Nineteen patients with an average age of 66 years and follow up of 10 months are included. Surgical indications include reconstruction of cancer excision defects, repair of lower eyelid ectropion or retraction, benign eyelid lesion excision, and effacement of a canthal web. On average, patients had a total of 4 separate 0.3 to 0.5 ml 5-FU, or 5-FU/kenalog injections spaced 2 to 3 weeks apart. In 11 of 19 patients, the 5-FU injections were mixed with steroid. There were no cases of skin thinning, color/texture change, atrophy, telangiectasis, or infection after injection, and all patients had uneventful healing of their grafts. Eighty-nine percent of patients were satisfied with their outcome (graded 4.73/5) and the appearance of the skin graft (graded 4.79/5). In 95% of cases, the surgeon was satisfied with the surgical result. Independent surgeon assessment of outcome was graded (4.58/5). CONCLUSIONS: A 5-FU or 5-FU/kenalog (75%/25%) mixture can be injected safely after eyelid skin grafting surgery. Surgical results are good with minimal scarring, high patient and surgeon satisfaction, and few complications. Results are equally efficacious and complication-free with or without the addition of a steroid component to the injection mixture.

Asian Male Blepharoplasty and Rhinoplasty.

The authors present the contemporary landscape for males seeking Asian blepharoplasty and Asian rhinoplasty, with special emphasis on the unique anatomical and aesthetic considerations for this patient population. The authors highlight the latest techniques used to achieve superlative results.

Effacing the orbitoglabellar groove with transposed upper eyelid fat.

PURPOSE: An age-related depression can develop over the superonasal orbital rim, which the authors have called the "orbitoglabellar groove (OGG)." It is, in part, related to volume loss over the rim as is seen at the lower eyelid/cheek interface (nasojugal groove). An upper eyelid fat pedicle can be transposed over the OGG during standard upper blepharoplasty surgery to reduce this depression. METHODS: The charts of patients who underwent fat transposition to the OGG during upper blepharoplasty over a 20-month period (2010-2012) are retrospectively reviewed. Only primary eyelid surgery patients are included in the study. The procedure, its results, and complications are presented. RESULTS: Seventeen patients are included in this study. Eleven patients (65%) are women and 6 (35%) patients are men. The average patient age is 56 years (range 47-80 years), and the average follow up is 10 months (6-14 months). Two patients (12%) developed a transient induration over the transposed fat pedicle in the postoperative period which resolved with a combination 5-fluorouracil/kenalog injection. There were no cases of postoperative infection, prolonged swelling, motility disturbance, diplopia, or eyelid malposition. Clinical effacement of the OGG was noted in all cases, and physician and patient assessment of surgical results are equally good. CONCLUSIONS: The OGG is an involutional periorbital hollow present over the superonasal orbital rim. The depression can be reduced with native eyelid fat transposition during upper blepharoplasty in a similar way that lower blepharoplasty with fat repositioning effaces the nasojugal groove. The learning curve for the procedure is quick, especially for those who have experience with its lower eyelid counterpart.

Correction of the Over-resected Nose.

Overzealous reduction during rhinoplasty may result in manifold functional as well as aesthetic injuries to the nose and is a prevailing antecedent of revision rhinoplasty. Although challenges for the revision rhinoplasty surgeon abound, careful assessment of the anatomic deficiencies of the nose, accurate evaluation and management of a patient's expectations, and precise planning and execution of surgical technique serve to facilitate a successful result. Contemporary techniques for correction of the over-resected nose are discussed, with special attention directed toward costal cartilage grafting and diced cartilage fascia techniques.

Single-incision sural nerve harvest: Technical considerations for cross-facial nerve grafting.

b.a. is the senior author and performed all of the procedures described, and conceptualized and edited the article. l.e.i. was responsible for data collection and analysis, editing the manuscript, and compiling the figures. d.b.y. performed the first single-incision nerve harvest with b.a. and is responsible for b.a. adopting the practice. b.l. is b.a.'s partner and assisted with the majority of surgeries and proofread the manuscript. g.g.m. was cosurgeon on many of the described cases and is partly responsible for conceptualizing the article. g.l.p. was responsible for data collection and writing of the original manuscript and compiling the illustrations. Laryngoscope, 129:2464-2466, 2019.

Avoiding and managing complications in the periorbital area and midface.

The eyes play a central role in the perception of facial beauty. The goal of periorbital rejuvenation surgery is to restore youthful proportions and focus attention on the eyes. Blepharoplasty is the third most common cosmetic procedure performed today. Because of the attention placed on the periorbital region, preventing and managing complications is important. Obtaining a thorough preoperative history and physical examination can significantly reduce the incidence of many of the complications. This article focuses on the preoperative evaluation as it relates to preventable complications, followed by common intraoperative and postoperative complications and their management.

Microbiology and antibiotic prophylaxis in rhinoplasty: a review of 363 consecutive cases.

IMPORTANCE: A practical technique for reducing infectious complications from rhinoplasty would represent an important surgical advance. OBJECTIVES: To describe the microbial flora of patients undergoing septorhinoplasty and to evaluate the role of preoperative and postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We performed a retrospective medical record review of 363 consecutive adult patients who underwent preoperative nasal swab testing and rhinoplasty or septorhinoplasty in a single private practice: 279 women (76.9%) and 84 men (23.1%). The average patient age was 35.9 years (age range, 17-70 years). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Identification of endogenous nasal flora and pathogenic bacteria treated with culture-directed antibiotics; evaluation of comorbidities, perioperative infections, and antibiotic treatments. RESULTS: A total of 174 patients (47.9%) underwent primary rhinoplasty, and 189 (52%) underwent revision rhinoplasty. On preoperative nasal culture, 78.2% of patients had normal flora; 10.7% had Staphylococcus aureus; and 0.28% had methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA). In 7.4% of patients, fecal coliforms including Escherichia coli, Enterobacter species, and Citrobacter species were found. Age, sex, smoking, the use of oral contraceptives, or the presence of seasonal allergies did not significantly change the nasal flora or the postoperative infection rate. Patients with adult acne were found to have an increased incidence of colonization with fecal coliforms (43.8%; P < .001). Patients with diabetes were found to have an increased incidence of colonization with S aureus (66.7%; P = .002). The overall infection rate was 3.0% (11 of 363 patients), with 4.0% (7 of 174 patients) seen in primary septorhinoplasties and 2.1% (4 of 189 patients) seen in revision cases. Coliforms accounted for 5 cases (45.5%) of postoperative infections, while S aureus was responsible for 4 cases (36.4%), including 1 case of MRSA. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The results of this study suggest that risk factors alone may not reliably predict the subset of patients in whom antibiotic prophylaxis is indicated. Knowledge of the endogenous nasal flora and the microbiology of common pathogens in patients undergoing septorhinoplasty will help to further reduce the incidence of infectious complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

The minimally invasive, orbicularis-sparing, lower eyelid recession for mild to moderate lower eyelid retraction with reduced orbicularis strength.

IMPORTANCE Identifying a procedure to address lower eyelid retraction (LER) in the presence of an orbicularis deficit is a useful tool for aesthetic and reconstructive eyelid surgery. OBJECTIVE To describe and evaluate a surgical technique consisting of a closed canthal suspension and true lower eyelid retractor recession to address LER in the setting of orbicularis weakness. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A retrospective medical record review of patients who underwent the minimally invasive, orbicularis-sparing, lower eyelid recession from January 1, 2010, to October 1, 2012, by one of us (G.G.M.) in an ophthalmic plastic surgical practice. We included 29 patients with reduced orbicularis strength and LER resulting from eyelid paresis related to facial nerve disease, surgical trauma (after blepharoplasty), involutional change, or idiopathic causes. INTERVENTIONS Surgical intervention consisting of closed canthal suspension and lower eyelid retractor recession. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Surgical results, complications, and patient satisfaction. RESULTS The 29 patients included 18 women and 11 men. The mean patient age was 52 (range, 6-72) years; mean follow-up, 11 (range, 6-21) months; and mean preoperative orbicularis strength, 2.7 (on a scale of 0-4, where 0 indicates no function and 4, normal function). The causes of orbicularis weakness included eyelid paresis related to facial nerve disease (11 patients), surgical trauma (13 patients), involutional change (4 patients), and an isolated idiopathic finding (1 patient). In 12 patients, the eyelid retraction was unilateral; in 17, bilateral. A small tarsorrhaphy was added to the surgery in 6 patients with facial nerve disease. The mean eyelid elevation after surgery was 1.80 mm, with only minor complications. Patient and surgeon satisfaction were high. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Recent publications have demonstrated the utility of closed canthal suspension and true lower eyelid retractor recession as separate procedures. In the setting of LER with reduced orbicularis strength and/or tone, the techniques can be combined to recess the lower eyelid without disturbing the already compromised lower orbicularis muscle (minimally invasive, orbicularis-sparing, lower eyelid recession). The combination technique is safe and effective and yields excellent results. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4.

Transconjunctival lower blepharoplasty with fat repositioning: a retrospective comparison of transposing fat to the subperiosteal vs supraperiosteal planes.

IMPORTANCE: Differences in technique and outcome between fat transposed to the subperiosteal and supraperiosteal planes during transconjunctival lower blepharoplasty remain to be elucidated. OBJECTIVE: To provide a single-surgeon comparison of transconjunctival lower blepharoplasty with fat repositioning (TCBFR) to the subperiosteal vs the supraperiosteal plane. DESIGN: A retrospective medical record review of patients who underwent TCBFR to the subperiosteal or the supraperiosteal plane by a single surgeon from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2011. Differences in surgical technique, postoperative course, complications, patient satisfaction, and aesthetic results (by blinded assessment of preoperative and postoperative photographs) are reviewed using a 4-point scale. SETTING: An ophthalmic plastic surgical practice. PARTICIPANTS: The first 20 consecutive patients who underwent TCBFR to the supraperiosteal plane and the previous 20 who underwent TCBFR to the subperiosteal plane. INTERVENTION: Transconjunctival lower blepharoplasty with fat repositioning. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraoperative findings, postoperative course, complications, and aesthetic results. RESULTS: We included 40 patients (27 women and 13 men) with a mean age of 57 years and mean follow-up of 10 months. Subperiosteal TCBFR was more meticulous and less disruptive of normal anatomy and resulted in less bleeding. Supraperiosteal surgery was faster yet more traumatic, leading to more bruising, swelling, and with more clinically evident temporary postoperative contour irregularities. All patients expressed a high level of satisfaction (100%). Blinded assessment of results demonstrated no statistically significant difference (P = .45) between the 2 surgical approaches with regard to the final aesthetic result. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Transconjunctival lower blepharoplasty with fat repositioning can be performed safely and effectively, whether fat is translocated to the subperiosteal or the supraperiosteal plane. Aesthetic results are comparable between the 2 approaches. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Endonasal placement of spreader grafts: experience in 41 consecutive patients.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of placing spreader grafts via an endonasal approach and to examine the immediate and long-term functional results. METHODS A retrospective review was performed of 41 consecutive cases involving adult patients who underwent nasal valve reconstruction. Medical history and clinical examination established the cause of nasal obstruction, with internal valve dysfunction confirmed through endoscopic evaluation and the modified Cottle maneuver. Surgical correction involved a spreader graft harvested from autologous cartilage and placed endonasally. Comparison and evaluation of preoperative vs postoperative symptom severity, photographs, and patient self-assessment were used to quantify the results of the operation. RESULTS Our study included 22 women and 19 men with a mean age (range) of 32 (19-56) years. Twenty-seven patients (66%) were Asian, 12 (29%) were white, and 2 (5%) were Hispanic. Thirty of 41 patients (73%) expressed strong concern regarding the presence of a transcolumellar scar. Among our patients with confirmed internal nasal valve dysfunction, 25 (61%) reported significant improvement, 15 (37%) noted some improvement, and 1 (2%) described no change; none reported a worsening of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The endonasal approach to placement of spreader grafts for nasal valve reconstruction is effective at relieving nasal obstruction due to internal nasal valve dysfunction. Paramount to the success of the procedure is appropriate patient selection and careful attention to surgical technique.

Open bedside tracheotomy: impact on patient care and patient safety.

OBJECTIVES: Objectives were: 1) to evaluate the impact of open bedside tracheotomy (OBT) on patient care and 2) to determine whether OBT in the intensive care unit (ICU) is a safe, cost-effective procedure. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart-based review. METHODS: A total of 163 consecutive adult patients in the medical or surgical ICU who underwent OBT by the Otorhinolaryngology service from July 2007 to July 2009, in addition to the 163 consecutive adult patients who had undergone open tracheotomy in the operating room immediately prior to July 2007, were included in the study. Data examined included time intervals between initial consultation and performance of tracheotomy, complication rates, ICU length of stay, and cost considerations. RESULTS: In the group of patients examined prior to OBT, time to surgery (TTS) averaged 3.24 days in comparison to an average of 1.48 days for patients who received OBT (P < .05). Review of complications revealed no significant difference in the two study groups (odds ratio [OR], 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44-4.56, P = .56). The length of ICU stay decreased by 0.6 days on average in the OBT group versus the OR group, although not achieving statistical significance (P = .18). Cost analysis suggests a potential savings of $4,575 per case, resulting in approximately $745,700 saved in the OBT group. CONCLUSIONS: Review of our experience demonstrates comparable safety for tracheotomy performed bedside versus in the operating room, while offering shorter time to surgery, decreased costs, and perhaps a reduction in the length of ICU stay. These findings suggest that open bedside tracheotomy is preferable to tracheotomy performed in the operating room for patients in the ICU setting.