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Assessment of clinical and ultrasonographic parameters as indicators for buccal fat pad excision by esthetic reasons

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Abstract

Purpose

The selection of candidates for buccal fat pad (BFP) removal depends on the patient’s requirements, the subjective surgeons’ evaluation, and objective clinical factors. This cross-sectional observational study aimed to identify objective clinical and ultrasonographic parameters as indicators of cheek contouring with BFP excision.

Methods

Sixty-six patients with cheek fullness complaints were examined by two experienced surgeons to determine if they were good candidates for the procedure. Thereafter, participants underwent clinical and ultrasonographic assessments in a separate session to aid in the surgical decision-making. The association between the clinical judgment for BFP excision and the study variables was analyzed individually and adjusted for confounders using binary logistic regression and grouping analyses.

Results

Forty-nine participants were regarded as suitable and 17 as non-suitable for the procedure. After regression analysis, cheek skin-fold thickness > 6.00 mm, midfacial contour > 2.20 mm, ovoid/triangular facial form, and ultrasonographic BFP volume > 2.05 mL remained as robust individual indicators for the suitability for the procedure. However, the grouping analysis showed that patients having three-to-four significant criteria synchronously had significantly higher odds for eligibility with excellent discrimination capability.

Conclusion

Although high values of cheek skin-fold thickness, midfacial contour, and ultrasonographic BFP volume, as well as an ovoid/triangular facial form, might be robust indicators for the suitability for BFP excision, the surgical decision-making should not be based on isolated parameters. Instead, those patients possessing a combination of at least three of these specific eligibility criteria above the threshold value might be considered the best candidates for the procedure.

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Data availability

All data will be made available to the editorial board upon request.

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Funding

This study has been supported by the Technical Research Council of the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Antioquia (CIFO-Code 2018–22350).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia

    Natalia Cardona-Gómez, Félix Antonio Gil-Cárdenas & Jorge Iván Cardona-Estrada

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Antioquia and San Vicente Foundation University Hospital, Medellín, Colombia

    Elkin Andrés Molina-Cárdenas

  3. Graduate Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program, Laboratory of Immunodetection and Bioanalysis, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Antioquia and San Vicente Foundation University Hospital, Calle 70 N° 52-21, Medellín, Colombia

    Sergio Iván Tobón-Arroyave

Authors
  1. Natalia Cardona-Gómez
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  2. Félix Antonio Gil-Cárdenas
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  3. Elkin Andrés Molina-Cárdenas
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  4. Jorge Iván Cardona-Estrada
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  5. Sergio Iván Tobón-Arroyave
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Contributions

Cardona-Gómez N. participated in the design of the study, accomplished the recording of clinical data, analysis of the results, and was involved in drafting the manuscript. Gil-Cárdenas FA and Cardona-Estrada JI participated in its design, patient’s classification, and manuscript preparation. Molina-Cárdenas EA performed the ultrasonographic evaluation of the patients and was involved in the manuscript preparation. Tobón-Arroyave SI handled the study concepts and design, supervised the acquisition of the data, accomplished the analysis and interpretation of data, and critically evaluated and supplemented the manuscript. All the authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sergio Iván Tobón-Arroyave.

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Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committees for Human Studies of the University of Antioquia (Concept Number 03–2019) and San Vicente Foundation University Hospital (Reference number 02–2018).

Consent to participate

Written consent was obtained for all participants in this study.

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All the authors give consent for the publication of this work.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Cardona-Gómez, N., Gil-Cárdenas, F.A., Molina-Cárdenas, E.A. et al. Assessment of clinical and ultrasonographic parameters as indicators for buccal fat pad excision by esthetic reasons. Oral Maxillofac Surg 27, 151–161 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10006-022-01043-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10006-022-01043-4

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