Traditional techniques of facial reanimation using gracilis free tissue transfer do not address the lower eyelid or provide contraction at the site of orbicularis oculi, which is necessary to create a natural appearing Duchenne smile. In this report, we describe a novel technique to achieve this element of a true mimetic smile using a tri-vector gracilis muscle flap.
Objective:
To describe a novel gracilis free flap technique for facial reanimation to provide contraction of the inferior and lateral orbicularis oculi and achieve a Duchenne smile.
Design, Setting, and Participants:
This was a surgical pearls—description of a novel surgical technique at Academic Tertiary Medical Center. Three patients underwent the operation.
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References
1.
BoaheneKO, OwusuJ, IshiiL, et al.The multivector gracilis free functional muscle flap for facial reanimation. JAMA Facial Plast Surg. 2018; 20(4):300–306.
