Stability after Endoscopic Forehead Surgery Using Single-Point Fascia Fixation

Abstract

With endoscopic forehead rejuvenation, most surgeons use at least two points of fixation for each eyebrow, often including some type of bone fixation, to achieve the aesthetic goal of lasting repositioning of the eyebrows and elimination of frown lines. In this prospective study, short-term and 1-year postoperative changes in the position of the eyebrows following extensive release of eyebrow-retaining ligaments and use of single-point fascial suture (without bone fixation) were objectively evaluated. Front-view, life-size photographs of 48 patients undergoing endoscopic forehead surgery for treatment of migraine headaches were analyzed preoperatively and 1 and 12 months postoperatively. The distance of the caudal portion of each eyebrow from a horizontal line passing through the medial canthi was measured at three levels: (1) the lateral canthus, (2) midpupil on a straight gaze, and (3) medial canthus. Statistical analysis revealed a significant elevation of the eyebrows at each of these three reference points when preoperative and 1-month postoperative data were compared (p = 0.001). Twelve months postoperatively, the eyebrows remained significantly elevated at each of the three reference points on both the left (p = 0.001) and right (p = 0.001) sides. Comparison of data at 1 and 12 months postoperatively did not show any statistically significant difference (p = 0.1 to 0.9 at the three levels), indicating that the eyebrow elevation was maintained. The authors conclude that wide release of the eyebrow-retaining ligaments with single-point fascial fixation is an effective method for elevation of the eyebrows, and that bone fixation should be used when an alteration of eyebrow arch form or correction of eyebrow asymmetry is indicated.