Experience With Esthetic Reconstruction of Complex Facial Soft Tissue Trauma: Application of the Pulsed Dye Laser

Background: Facial soft tissue injury can be one of the most challenging cases presenting to the plastic surgeon. The life quality and selfesteem of the patients with facial injury may be compromised temporarily or permanently. Immediate reconstruction of most defects leads to better restoration of form and function as well as early rehabilitation. Objectives: The aim of this study was to present our experience in management of facial soft tissue injuries from different causes. Patients and Methods: We prospectively studied patients treated by plastic surgeons from ۲۰۱۰ to ۲۰۱۲ suffering from different types of blunt or sharp (penetrating) facial soft tissue injuries to the different areas of the face. All soft tissue injuries were treated primarily. Photography from all patients before, during, and after surgical reconstruction was performed and the results were collected. We used early pulsed dye laser (PDL) post-operatively. Results: In our study, ۶۳ patients including ۱۸ (۲۸.۵%) women and ۴۵ (۷۱.۵%) men aged ۸-۷۰ years (mean ۴۷ years) underwent facial reconstruction due to soft tissue trauma in different parts of the face. Sharp wounds were seen in ۱۵ (۲۳%) patients and blunt trauma lacerations were seen in ۵۲ (۷۷%) patients. Overall, ۶۵% of facial injuries were repaired primary and the remainder were reconstructed with local flaps or skin graft from adjacent tissues. Postoperative PDL therapy done two weeks following surgery for all scars yielded good results in our cases. Conclusions: Analysis of the injury including location, size, and depth of penetration as well as presence of associated injuries can aid in the formulation of a proper surgical plan. We recommend PDL in the early post operation period (two weeks) after suture removal for better aesthetic results.

کلیدواژه ها:

Face ، Wounds and Injuries ، Soft Tissue Injuries ، Esthetics