The Safety of Injections in the Infraorbital Region

Background

 Infraorbital filler injection is a commonly used minimally invasive cosmetic procedure on the face, which can cause vascular complications.

Objective

 In this study, we aimed to explore the anatomical structure of the infraorbital vasculature and to establish an accurate protocol for infraorbital filler injection.

Methods

 The vascular structure of the infraorbital region was evaluated in 84 hemifacial specimens using computed tomography. Four segments (P1–P4) and five sections (C1–C5) were considered. We recorded the number of identified arteries in each slice and at each location and the number of deep arteries. Furthermore, we also measured the infraorbital artery (IOA) distribution.

Results

 At P1–P4, the lowest number of arteries was detected in segment P4, with a 317/1727 (18.4%) and 65/338 (2.3%) probability of total and deep arterial identification, respectively. The probabilities of encountering an identified artery at the five designated locations (C1–C5) were 277/1727 (16%), 318/1727 (18.4%), 410/1727 (23.7%), 397/1727 (23%), and 325/1727 (18.8%), respectively. The probability of an IOA being identified at C2 was 68/84 (81%).

Conclusion

 We described an effective filler injection technique in the infraorbital region to minimize the associated risks.

Level of Evidence IV

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