Background

Accurate knowledge of vessel anatomy is essential in facial reconstructive surgery. The technological advances of ultrasound (US) equipment with the introduction of new high-resolution probes improved the evaluation of facial anatomical structures. Our study had these objectives: the primary objective was to identify new surgical landmarks for the facial vein and to verify their precision with US, the secondary objective was to evaluate the potential of high-resolution US examination in the study of both the facial artery and vein.

Methods

Two radiologists examined a prospective series of adult volunteers with a 22–8 MHz hockey-stick probe. Two predictive lines of the facial artery and vein with respective measurement points were defined. The distance between the facial vein and its predictive line (named mandibular-orbital line) was determined at each measurement point. The distance from the skin and the area of the two vessels were assessed at every established measurement point.

Results

Forty-one volunteers were examined. The median distance of the facial vein from its predictive line did not exceed 2 mm. The facial vein was visible at every measurement point in all volunteers on the right side, and in 40 volunteers on the left. The facial artery was visible at every measurement point in all volunteers on the right and in 37 volunteers on the left.

Conclusions

The facial vein demonstrated a constant course concerning the mandibular-orbital line, which seems a promising clinical and imaging-based method for its identification. High-resolution US is valuable in studying the facial artery and vein.

Relevance statement

High-resolution US is valuable for examining facial vessels and can be a useful tool for pre-operative assessment, especially when combined with the mandibular-orbital line, a new promising imaging and clinical technique to identify the facial vein.

Key points

• High-resolution US is valuable in studying the facial artery and vein.

• The facial vein demonstrated a constant course concerning its predictive mandibular-orbital line.

• The clinical application of the mandibular-orbital line could help reduce facial surgical and cosmetic procedure complications.

Graphical Abstract

中文翻译：

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面部血管的高分辨率超声，具有用于重建手术和真皮注射的新面部静脉标志

背景

准确了解血管解剖学对于面部重建手术至关重要。超声（美国）设备的技术进步以及新型高分辨率探头的引入改善了面部解剖结构的评估。我们的研究有以下目标：主要目标是确定面静脉的新手术标志并验证其超声精度，次要目标是评估高分辨率超声检查在面动脉和面静脉研究中的潜力。静脉。

方法

两名放射科医生使用 22-8 MHz 曲棍球棒探头对一系列成年志愿者进行了检查。定义了面部动脉和静脉的两条预测线以及各自的测量点。在每个测量点确定面部静脉与其预测线（称为下颌眼眶线）之间的距离。在每个建立的测量点评估距皮肤的距离和两个血管的面积。

结果

四十一名志愿者接受了检查。面静脉与其预测线的中位距离不超过2毫米。右侧所有志愿者和左侧 40 名志愿者的每个测量点都可以看到面部静脉。右侧所有志愿者和左侧 37 名志愿者的每个测量点都可以看到面部动脉。

结论

面部静脉在下颌-眼眶线方面表现出恒定的路线，这似乎是一种有前途的临床和基于成像的识别方法。高分辨率超声对于研究面部动脉和静脉很有价值。

相关性声明

高分辨率超声对于检查面部血管很有价值，并且可以成为术前评估的有用工具，特别是与下颌眶线结合使用时，下颌眶线是一种新的有前途的识别面部静脉的成像和临床技术。

关键点

• 高分辨率超声对于研究面部动脉和静脉很有价值。

• 面部静脉在其预测的下颌-眼眶线方面表现出恒定的走向。

• 下颌-眼眶线的临床应用有助于减少面部手术和整容手术的并发症。

图形概要