OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of using indocyanine green angiography in mapping the superficial temporal vessels and assisting design and harvesting of the superficial temporal artery based forehead flap. METHODS: A clinical data of 14 patients with facial soft tissue defects repaired with superficial temporal artery based forehead flaps between October 2015 and November 2022 was retrospectively analyzed. There were 9 males and 5 females with a median age of 9.5 years (range, 3-38 years). The forehead flaps were used to reconstruct facial soft tissue defects following excision of facial scar (8 cases) or congenital melanocyte nevus (6 cases). The size of defects ranged from 3 cm×2 cm to 24 cm×9 cm. Before operation, the indocyanine green angiography was used to map the superficial temporal artery and vein, and to analyze the relationship of the arteries and veins. The forehead flaps with unilateral superficial temporal fascia as the pedicle was transferred to repair the small facial defect in 2 cases. The facial pedicle contained the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery and 2 cm of the superficial temporal fascia around the vessel, and the tiny accompanying vein of the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery was used as the outflow of the flap. The forehead flaps with the skin pedicle including bilateral or unilateral superficial temporal fascia and the overlying skin was pre-expanded and transferred to repair the large facial defect in 12 cases. The skin pedicle contained the frontal branch of superficial temporal artery and one of main branches of superficial temporal vein. Among the 12 cases, the frontal branch of superficial temporal vein was used as the outflow in 4 cases, and the parietal branch was used as the outflow in 8 cases. The size of the flaps ranged from 3 cm×2 cm to 30 cm×13 cm. The skin pedicles were divided at 3 weeks after the flap transfer. RESULTS: Indocyanine green angiography could clearly showed the course and branching of the superficial temporal artery and vein. Individual differences existed in the location where the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery entered the forehead. The superficial temporal vein had great variability and did not follow the artery. One patient had expander-related complication, which resulted in 3-cm flap necrosis. The necrotic tissue was debrided and repaired with skin grafting. The other flaps totally survived and the incisions healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 2-24 months, with a median of 11.5 months. The color, texture, and thickness of the flaps matched well with those of recipient sites. Hypertrophic scar was not observed in recipient or donor site. All patients were satisfied with the reconstructive outcomes. CONCLUSION Indocyanine green angiography can clearly visualize the course and the branches of the superficial temporal arteries and veins, which can help surgeons understand the position, distribution, and concomitant relationship of the superficial temporal vessels, and make a rational surgical plan of the forehead flap.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Adult ; Temporal Arteries/surgery* ; Indocyanine Green ; Forehead/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin Transplantation ; Angiography ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Perforator Flap/blood supply* ; Treatment Outcome

Aged ; Forehead/surgery* ; Humans ; Male ; Nose/surgery* ; Nose Neoplasms/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhinoplasty ; Skin Neoplasms/surgery* ; Surgical Flaps

Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Forehead/abnormalities* ; Humans ; Mutation ; Osteochondrodysplasias/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical and genetic characteristics of a child with frontometaphyseal dysplasia 1 (FMD1) due to variant of FLNA gene. METHODS: Clinical phenotype of the patient was analyzed. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out to detect pathogenic genetic variants. Sanger sequencing was used to verify the result in his parents. RESULTS: The 2-year-and-9-month-old boy presented with facial dysmorphism (supraorbital hyperostosis, down-slanting palpebral fissure and ocular hypertelorism), skeletal deformities (bowed lower limbs, right genu valgum, left genu varus, slight deformity of index and middle fingers, and flexion contracture of little fingers). He also had limited left elbow movement. High-throughput sequencing revealed that he has carried a de novo heterogeneous c.3527G>A (p.Gly1176Glu) missense variant of the FLNA gene. The same variant was found in neither parent. CONCLUSION The clinical manifestations of FMD1 such as joint contracture and bone dysplasia can occur in infancy and deteriorate with age, and require long-term follow-up and treatment. Above finding has expanded the spectrum of FLNA gene variants.
Child ; Filamins/genetics* ; Forehead/abnormalities* ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Osteochondrodysplasias/genetics* ; Phenotype ; Whole Exome Sequencing

The seated and prone positions are the most common surgical positions used during follicular unit extraction (FUE). Compared to the latter, the former eases centering and enables more optimal surgical field exposure due to gravitational effects on intraoperative bleeding. Furthermore, the surgeon can simultaneously work with multiple assistants, increasing efficiency and reducing operative time. During the harvesting stage of FUE, the patient is often seated in an electric height-adjustable salon chair. Such equipment, however, does not provide support for the head; maintaining a fixed upright position for an extremely long-lasting and delicate surgery that requires loupes with ×5 or higher magnification is challenging for both the surgeon and the patient. On the other hand, a support system that firmly fixes the patient's forehead would have ergonomic benefits during the process of FUE donor harvesting in a seated position. Firm support of the forehead would also enable upward traction to provide tension on the scalp, lessen the gap between the hair exit angle and internal hair angle, and reduce graft torsion, ultimately minimizing follicular injury and optimizing graft quality.
Forehead ; Hair Follicle ; Hair ; Hand ; Head ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Operative Time ; Posture ; Prone Position ; Scalp ; Tissue Donors ; Traction ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: There is no normative craniofacial anthropometric data for the Kenyan-African population. The purpose of this investigation was to determine normative anthropometric craniofacial measurements and proportional relationships for Kenyans of African descent and to compare the data with African Americans (AA), North American Whites (NAW), and neoclassical canons. METHODS: Twenty-five direct facial anthropometric measurements, and 4 angular measurements, were taken on 72 Kenyan-African participants (age range 18–30 years) recruited at the University of Nairobi in Kenya. The data were compared with AA and NAW populations, and neoclassical canons. Descriptive statistics of the variables were computed for the study population. RESULTS: Significant differences between both Kenyan males and females were detected in forehead height (~ 5 mm greater for males, ~ 4.5 mm for females), nasal height (reduced by ~ 4 mm in males, ~ 3 mm in females), nasal width (8–9 mm greater), upper lip height (> 3 mm), and eye width (greater by ~ 3 mm) compared to NAW subjects. All vertical measurements obtained were significantly different compared with NAW. Differences were observed in comparison with AA subjects, but less marked. Mouth width was similar in all groups. Angular measurements were variable. Neoclassical canons did not apply to the Kenyan population. CONCLUSIONS: Anthropometric measurements of NAW showed clear differences when compared with the Kenyan population, and variations exist with comparative AA data. The anthropometric data in terms of linear measurements, angular measurements, and proportional values described may serve as a database for facial analysis in the Kenyan-African population.
African Americans ; Anthropometry ; Female ; Forehead ; Humans ; Kenya ; Lip ; Male ; Mouth

The removal of fillers used for soft-tissue augmentation is an issue of concern, as the possible need for extensive surgery to remove fillers deters their use by many surgeons. Several studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of polyacrylamide hydrogel (Aquamid) gel, but to date no report has described its removal after 10 years. Here, we report a case of Aquamid removal. A 33-year-old woman, who had undergone forehead augmentation 12 years previously with an Aquamid injection, visited the department of plastic and reconstructive surgery of our medical center due to a severe forehead contour irregularity. Removal of 20 mL of excess gel was performed by direct incision and squeezing under local anesthesia. Our experience shows that Aquamid removal is possible, but should be performed with appropriate surgical precautions.
Adult ; Anesthesia, Local ; Dermal Fillers ; Female ; Forehead ; Humans ; Hydrogel ; Plastics ; Surgeons

Linear scleroderma en coup de sabre (LScs) is a variant of localized scleroderma. This disease typically occurs in patients in their 20s or younger individuals and predominantly occurs in the forehead area. A 26-year-old man with linear scleroderma was surgically treated at our center with Medpor (porous polyethylene) and dermal fat graft for the forehead lesion. After 26 months of postoperative follow-up, the depressed lesion that appeared scarred as well as the margins improved significantly. The surgical treatment of LScs using Medpor and dermal fat graft is an effective treatment modality that can increase patient satisfaction.
Adult ; Cicatrix ; Follow-Up Studies ; Forehead ; Humans ; Patient Satisfaction ; Scleroderma, Localized ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Child ; Forehead ; Humans ; Male ; Syringoma

OBJECTIVE: Forehead deformities are often caused by lack of treatment or incorrect restoration of the frontal buttress, so the underlying frontal buttress should be restored to its previous position to ensure that the previous forehead contour is restored in cases of complex depressed skull fractures. However, since brain injuries from skull fractures could have fatal consequences, the clinical concern in primary surgery has been to save the patient's life, and cosmetic concerns have always been secondary. We retrospectively reviewed fronto-orbital fracture patients who underwent primary restoration with primary bone fragments or an alloplastic implant and compared the surgical outcomes of autologous bone (group 1) and artificial materials (group 2). METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of 47 patients with fronto-orbital fractures between March 2012 and January 2018. The patients underwent primary reconstruction with primary bone fragments or an alloplastic implant. The surgical results were evaluated by the incidence of infection and cosmetic satisfaction of patients. RESULTS: Infections occurred in one patient (5%) in group 1 and in two patients (15.3%) in group 2, which was not a statistically significant difference. In contrast, at 6 months after surgery, patient satisfaction showed a statistically significant between-group difference (group 1: 4.32 points, group 2: 3.54 points, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Primary reconstruction using fractured bone fragments is an effective and preferable method that could result in better surgical outcomes than restoration using an alloplastic implant.
Brain Injuries ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Forehead ; Frontal Sinus ; Humans ; Incidence ; Methods ; Patient Satisfaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Skull Fracture, Depressed ; Skull Fractures