The Crest Injection Technique for Glabellar Line Correction and the Paracentral Artery

Abstract

Summary:The glabella is a zone that carries a high risk of blindness after performing filler injections. The arteries beneath the glabellar lines were investigated by meticulous dissections in 30 geriatric embalmed cadavers with latex injections into the arterial system. The results showed that the supratrochlear artery, a direct branch of the ophthalmic artery, ascended from the muscular layer of the medial eyebrow along the medial canthal vertical line of the intercanthal vertical zone (53 in 60 hemifaces, or 88%). The dominant single paracentral artery from the radix artery was found within the radix vertical zone (eight out of 30 glabellae, or 27%). Among these, the dominant paracentral artery was near the midline in two cadavers and arose along the radix vertical line in six cadavers. The dominant paracentral artery may be the cause of ocular complications during injections of glabellar lines between the medial eyebrows, especially at the radix vertical lines. The supratrochlear artery might cause ocular complications when an injection is performed close to the medial eyebrows. Pinching to create a skin crest and evert glabellar line for a precise injection is recommended to temporarily occlude the paracentral artery.