Combined arcus marginalis release, preseptal orbicularis muscle sling, and SOOF plication for midfacial rejuvenation

Abstract

Improvements have been made throughout the history of medicine, causing physicians to abandon a technique or medications clearly shown to be suboptimal. Unfortunately, this has not happened with rejuvenative surgery. Conventional lower eyelid procedures continue to include removal of orbital fat in most cases, and facelift procedures remain primarily a lateral vector pull. The unfortunate results of these traditional procedures are becoming easy to recognize. Optimal rejuvenation of the lower eyelid complex should be based on the principle that the contour changes characterizing aging involve not only prolapse of orbital fat, but also descent of the cheek tissues, resulting in accentuation of the orbital rim and tear trough groove. Although the necessity of preserving fat and repositioning the soft tissues of the midface has been widely accepted, there still is wide disagreement among authors as to the best approach and surgical technique. This report describes a surgical technique for lower lid midfacial rejuvenation that is a composite of several previously published approaches with some modifications, particularly in the way the Sub-Superficial Musculo Aponeurotic System (SMAS) fat pad is plicated and the midfacial tissues suspended. The technique is simple and safe, resulting in a pleasing natural midface contour.