Thread Lift by Use of Retaining Ligaments (TL)

Thread Lift by Use of Retaining Ligaments With V-lock Barbed Sutures : Under the Condition of Using the Tensiometer and FACE-Q

In facial rejuvenating surgery, the current trend calls for fewer and less noticeable scars with desired results. Especially to improve the jowls and nasolabial folds, the thread lift is a simple and inexpensive technique for patients who do not wish to undergo the typical facelift surgery, but the weak points of it are less effective and shorter duration than the conventional facelift.The investigators propose the new method of the thread lifting the subdermal and subcutaneous layer with a fiberoptic needle by use of the retaining ligaments with two fixation points on both temporal fascia and retaining ligaments. For the intraoperative evaluation the tensiometer was applied and for the postoperative evaluation the FACE-Q applied.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Face Lift; Suspension Technique; Minimal Invasive Surgery
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: thread lift

Detailed Description

In facial rejuvenating surgery, the current trend calls for fewer and less noticeable scars with desired results. Especially to improve the jowls and nasolabial folds, the thread lift is a simple and inexpensive technique for patients who do not wish to undergo the typical facelift surgery, but the weak points of it are less effective and shorter duration than the conventional facelift.The investigators propose the new method of the thread lifting the subdermal and subcutaneous layer with a fiberoptic needle by use of the retaining ligaments.

Retrospective analysis was performed on 369 consecutive patients undergoing the suture suspension technique between January of 2012 and December of 2015, so called thread lift, using 3-0 V-Loc 180 device for facial rejuvenation with (n=305) or without additional facial procedures (n=64). The follow-up period ranged from 22 months to 43 months postoperatively, with a mean of 34.3 months. There are asymmetry(n=2), scar revision(n=1), revision(n=4), dimpling(n=1), suboptimal outcomes(n=9), and stitch abscess(n=1). The thread lift by use of the retaining ligaments with V-lock barbed sutures can be recommended as an alternative technique in the facelift.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 369
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Korea, Republic of
  • Seoul, Korea, Republic of, 135-893
    • The Department of Plastic Surgery, Winners Clinic

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 23 years to 76 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• primary case
• secondary case

Exclusion Criteria:

• wide scar tissue on face
• allergy to foreign body(thread)
• no skin excess

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: facelift; In facial rejuvenating surgery, the current trend calls for fewer and less noticeable scars with desired results. Especially to improve the jowls and nasolabial folds, the thread lift is a simple and inexpensive technique for patients who do not wish to undergo the typical facelift surgery, but the weak points of it are less effective and shorter duration than the conventional facelift.The investigators propose the new method of the thread lifting the subdermal and subcutaneous layer by use of the retaining ligaments with two fixation points on both temporal fascia and retaining ligaments.

Procedure: thread lift; In facial rejuvenating surgery, the current trend calls for fewer and less noticeable scars with desired results. Especially to improve the jowls and nasolabial folds, the thread lift is a simple and inexpensive technique for patients who do not wish to undergo the typical facelift surgery, but the weak points of it are less effective and shorter duration than the conventional facelift.The investigators propose the new method of the thread lifting the subdermal and subcutaneous layer by use of the retaining ligaments with two fixation points on both temporal fascia and retaining ligaments.; Other Names: suspension technique with V-Loc barbed sutures

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Revision or reoperation	Checking whether revision was done by patients' need or not.	3 and 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Suboptimal outcomes	Checking whether patients were satisfied with the postoperative outcomes of their faces or not.	3 and 6 months
Asymmetry	Comparing the degree of sagging of the right and left faces to see if there is any difference.	3 and 6 months
Scar revision	Checking whether scar revision was done due to hypertrophic scar on the operative sites or not.	3 and 6 months
Dimpling	Checking whether patients complained about dimpling on the operation sites of their faces or not.	3 and 6 months
Stitch abscess	Checking whether the operative sites were infected or not.	3 and 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Winners Clinic
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: CHEOLHWAN KIM, M.D., Winners Clinic

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Sasaki GH, Cohen AT. Meloplication of the malar fat pads by percutaneous cable-suture technique for midface rejuvenation: outcome study (392 cases, 6 years' experience). Plast Reconstr Surg. 2002 Aug;110(2):635-54; discussion 655-7. doi: 10.1097/00006534-200208000-00042.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 31, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): May 31, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 4, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 4, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): September 9, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 11, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 3, 2018
• Last Verified: May 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: face lift; thread lift; retaining ligament; V-Loc sutures; tensiometer; FACE-Q
• Other Study ID Numbers: Thread Lift