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Facial microfat grafting safely, effectively corrects facial deformities from maxillary, mandibular hypoplasia

The use of facial microfat grafting to correct facial deformities in patients with maxillary or mandibular hypoplasia significantly improved patient perception and satisfaction, according to study results.

“Facial microfat grafting is a safe and effective alternative to more complicated and potentially dangerous advancement osteotomies performed in patients for purely aesthetic reasons in the absence of any functional problems,” Nicole Lindenblatt, MD, and colleagues wrote. “The low morbidity and swift recovery associated with facial microfat grafting make it a valuable new tool in the armamentarium of the facial aesthetic surgeon.”

Lindenblatt and colleagues retrospectively reviewed 166 patients who underwent microfat grafting to correct maxillary and/or mandibular hypoplasia between 2004 and 2014. They evaluated the results using pretreatment and post-treatment photos in the frontal, oblique and profile views to note improvements in facial contour and symmetry as well as any complications from the procedure.

After 38% of patients underwent a refill 6 months or more after the initial treatment, 50% of patients rated the microfat grafting procedure as excellent, 48% rated it as sufficient and 2% rated it as poor, according to the data. In 7% of cases, visual fat lobules were present under lower eyelid skin; however, the fat lobules were corrected by changing the injection cannulae and technique. Some fat resorption was seen in all patients, with ±15% in the immobile malar area and ±50% in the mobile lip area, according to the data. – by Jeff Craven

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.