Comparing Lateral Rhytidectomy With and Without Neck Suture Suspension.

Background: Characteristic aesthetic changes of the aging neck include skin laxity and rhytid formation, submental fat deposition, plastysmal banding, and ptosis of underlying structures that lead to the development of an obtuse cervicomental angle (CMA). Cervical rejuvenation techniques that aim to restore the CMA are widely discussed in the literature, and share variable outcomes. The aim of this study is to compare the restoration of the CMA in patients undergoing the addition of midline platysmal plication using a modified Giampapa stitch with absorbable PDS suture, to those patients undergoing standard deep plane lateral rhytidectomy alone. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed by a single surgeon in a private facial plastics practice. 264 patients undergoing rhytidectomy were included in the study. Pre and postoperative measurement differences in CMA degree and depth were compared in patients undergoing only traditional deep plane lateral rhytidectomy (TDPLR) in isolation, with those who also had modified suture suspension and platysma plication (MSSPP). The primary outcome in the study was the change in the degree of the CMA taken from standardized preoperative and postoperative surgical photos in the Frankfort profile view. Secondary outcomes include the change in the depth of the CMA as determined by the hyomental distance between study and control groups. Results: A total of 264 patients were identified who met the study criteria. A total of 134 (123 female; 11 male; average age, 62.66 ± 8.19) underwent TDPLR with MSSPP, and 130 (127 female; 3 male; average age, 63.09 ± 7.75) underwent TDPLR alone. All patients in the study underwent preoperative photographic evaluation in Frankfurt profile view and the same postoperative photographic evaluation at an average of 436.56 days (14.4 months) after surgery. Patients in the cohort study group were found to have a statistically significant increase in the depth of the CMA by an average of 13.9 degrees ± 6.26 and increase in the hyomental distance of 1.38 cm ± 0.87, compared to the control group who underwent traditional lateral rhytidectomy with an average CMA change of 6.87 degrees ± 6.7 (P = .00146) and hyomental distance increase of 0.75 ± 0.68 (P = .00031), respectively. Statistical significance was taken at P < .05. Conclusions: The results from this study indicate that the addition of a relatively minimally invasive approach to neck rejuvenation using a modified Giampapa stitch with absorbable PDS suture is helpful in restoring the CMA in an aging neck.

Contexte: Les modifications esthétiques caractéristiques du cou vieillissant sont notamment la laxité de la peau et la formation de rides, le dépôt sous-mentonnier de tissu adipeux, la formation de bandes du muscle platysma et la ptose des structures sous-jacentes qui mènent au développement d'un angle cervico-mentonnier (ACM) obtus. Les techniques de rajeunissement du cou visant à restaurer l'ACM font l'objet de nombreuses discussions dans les publications avec des résultats variables. Le but de cette étude était de comparer la restauration de l'ACM chez des patients subissant l'ajout d'un pli du platysma sur la ligne médiane au moyen d'une suture modifiée de Giampapa avec un fil résorbable en PDS par rapport à des patients bénéficiant d'une rhytidectomie latérale plane profonde standard seule. Méthodes: Une étude de cohorte rétrospective a été réalisée par un seul chirurgien dans un établissement privé de chirurgie plastique du visage. L'étude a inclus 264 patients subissant une rhytidectomie. Les différences de mesures de degrés et de profondeur pré et postopératoires de l'ACM ont été comparées entre les patients subissant une rhytidectomie latérale plane profonde traditionnelle (RLLPT) seule et les patients avec suspension de suture modifiée et un pli du platysma (SSMPP). Le critère d'évaluation principal de l'étude était la variation du nombre de degrés de l'ACM mesuré sur des photographies chirurgicales pré et postopératoires standardisées sur un profil de type Frankfort. Les critères de jugement secondaires étaient, notamment, la variation de profondeur de l'ACM mesurée par la distance hyomentale entre le groupe d'étude et le groupe contrôle. Résultats: Un total de 264 patients satisfaisant les critères de l'étude a été identifié: 134 patients [123 femmes, 11 hommes, d'âge moyen 62.66 ± 8.19] ont eu une RLLPT avec SSMPP et 130 patients [127 femmes, 3 hommes, d'âge moyen 63.09 ± 7.75] ont eu une RLLPT seule. Une évaluation photographique préopératoire avec vue de profil de type Francfort a été réalisée pour tous les patients de l'étude; la même évaluation photographique a été réalisée en postopératoire, en moyenne 436.56 jours (14.4 mois) après l'opération. Les patients du groupe d'étude de la cohorte avaient une augmentation statistiquement significative de la profondeur de l'ACM, en moyenne de 13.9 ± 6.26 degrés et une augmentation de la distance hyomentale de 1.38 ± 0.87 cm comparativement aux patients ayant subi une rhytidectomie latérale traditionnelle chez lesquels la variation d'ACM était de 6.87 ± 6.7 degrés [P = .00146] et l'augmentation de la distance hyomentale de 0.75 ± 0.68 cm [P = .00031]. La signification statistique était fixée à P < .05. Conclusions: Les résultats de cette étude indiquent que l'ajout d'une approche peu invasive à la technique de rajeunissement du cou usant une suture modifiée de Giampapa est utile pour restaurer l'ACM dans un cou vieillissant.

A 2 million-person, campaign-wide field experiment shows how digital advertising affects voter turnout.

We present the results of a large, US$8.9 million campaign-wide field experiment, conducted among 2 million moderate- and low-information persuadable voters in five battleground states during the 2020 US presidential election. Treatment group participants were exposed to an 8-month-long advertising programme delivered via social media, designed to persuade people to vote against Donald Trump and for Joe Biden. We found no evidence that the programme increased or decreased turnout on average. We found evidence of differential turnout effects by modelled level of Trump support: the campaign increased voting among Biden leaners by 0.4 percentage points (s.e. = 0.2 pp) and decreased voting among Trump leaners by 0.3 percentage points (s.e. = 0.3 pp) for a difference in conditional average treatment effects of 0.7 points (t1,035,571 = -2.09; P = 0.036; [Formula: see text] points; 95% confidence interval = -0.014 to 0). An important but exploratory finding is that the strongest differential effects appear in early voting data, which may inform future work on early campaigning in a post-COVID electoral environment. Our results indicate that differential mobilization effects of even large digital advertising campaigns in presidential elections are likely to be modest.

Arcade Sutures to Minimize Ear Displacement in Rhytidectomy.

Ear deformities after rhytidectomy are not uncommon and have a significant impact on cosmetic success. We postulate the use of horizontal mattress suspension sutures in the anterior face anchored to the deep temporalis fascia (DTF) during rhytidectomy allows for a vertical lift while minimizing the risk to the frontal branch of the facial nerve and decreasing forward rotation of the ear. To compare auricular displacement during rhytidectomy using an arcade of horizontal mattress suspension sutures anchored to the DTF instead of the preauricular pre-parotid fascia, and evaluate outcomes with this modification at 1 year. This was a proof of concept prospective cohort study of 20 patients (40 sides) undergoing rhytidectomy by a single plastic surgeon (level of evidence 4). Intraoperative measurements were taken to determine the amount of auricular displacement with suspension sutures placed in the preauricular fascia compared with the DTF. To confirm longevity, we compared ear position preoperatively and at 1 year after rhytidectomy with our technique. There was significantly less auricular displacement when superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) suspension sutures were placed in the DTF 0.75 ± 0.69 mm compared with the preauricular fascia 9.71 ± 2.57 mm (p < 0.00001). With our technique at an average follow-up of 370.3 days, there was no significant change in auricular rotation compared with preoperative photos (p = 0.125).Our simple rhytidectomy modification allows for vertical resuspension of the SMAS in the anterior face in a safe manner while minimizing displacement of the auricle.