Concentric Malar Lift in the Management of Lower Eyelid Rejuvenation or Retraction: A Clinical Retrospective Study on 342 Cases, 13 Years After the First Publication

BACKGROUND: Lower eyelid rejuvenation can, unfortunately, induce scleral show even if the lower eyelid procedure is limited. This study was designed to assess the effectiveness and reliability of the concentric malar lift technique in two scenarios: the first, in rejuvenation of the mid-face and, the second, in reconstructive surgery for correction of congenital or acquired eyelids malposition. METHODS: The concentric malar lift technique was first published by Le Louarn (Aesthet Plast Surg 28(6):359–372, 2004). This retrospective study was carried out by analyzing data on patients operated on between January 2010 and January 2016. Patients operated on before 2010 were excluded because barbed thread sutures were not used in the first version of the technique. Patients after January 2016 were excluded to ensure adequate follow-up, and so 342 patients are included in the study. A total of 256 cases (75%) were for aesthetic mid-face lifting, and 86 cases (25%) were reconstructive surgeries for lower eyelid retraction. A spacer graft was used in 30 of these reconstructive cases (35%). The mean follow-up time was 13.6 months. All the concentric malar lifting procedures included strengthening the lateral canthus, which is a key element of the procedure. RESULTS: None of the patients developed secondary eyelid malposition, and all the cases of lower eyelid retraction displayed marked improvement both functionally and aesthetically. Two patients experienced loss of sensitivity of part in the infra-orbital nerve distribution for 4 months after the procedure. CONCLUSION: The concentric malar lift procedure enables the recruitment of a significant amount of skin into the lower eyelid: between 10 and 30 mm. It ensures better rejuvenation of the mid-face with minimal risk of lower eyelid malposition. In reconstruction of the lower eyelid lid, the concentric malar lift is able to reduce the need for skin grafting and a skin flap reducing the risks of visible scarring. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.