Abstract
Background
This study aimed to compare the average amounts of facial skin and muscle lifting in two different face-lift methods, superficial musculo-aponeurotic system (SMAS) plication and minimal access cranial suspension (MACS), to evaluate the effectiveness of each method in facial excursion.
Methods
Thirty-six face-lift surgeries were performed on nine cadavers between October and December 2010. Both SMAS and MACS surgeries were done on each side of the cadaver faces. The average amounts of skin and muscle lifting up and out in three defined anatomical landmarks were compared between the two methods, SMAS plication and MACS lift procedure.
Results
Nine fresh cadavers with the mean age of 53 ± 6.7 years entered the study. Seven (77.8 %) were males and two (22.2 %) were females. The average amounts of lifting of the anatomical landmarks up and out were significantly greater in the SMAS plication method compared to the MACS lift procedure (P values <0.05), whereas facial symmetry was not significantly different between the two methods.
Conclusion
The overall amounts of facial skin and muscle lifting by the SMAS plication method were greater than the MACS lift procedure. However, it does not justify ignoring the benefits of the MACS lift procedure in terms of less invasiveness and quicker recovery.
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the editorial board and reviewers of Aesthetic plastic surgery journal for their support and feedback. This study was the otolaryngology residency thesis of Aslan Ahmadi M.D. and was approved and financially supported by the ENT and Head & Neck Research Center of Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Mohammadi, S., Ahmadi, A., Salem, M.M. et al. A Comparison Between Two Methods of Face-Lift Surgery in Nine Cadavers: SMAS (Superficial Musculo-Aponeurotic System) Versus MACS (Minimal Access Cranial Suspension). Aesth Plast Surg 39, 680–685 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-015-0543-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-015-0543-3