G. Hernandezzendejas et J. Guerrerosantos, PERCUTANEOUS SELECTIVE RADIOFREQUENCY NEUROABLATION IN PLASTIC-SURGERY, Aesthetic plastic surgery, 18(1), 1994, pp. 41-48
A new technique in aesthetic plastic surgery called Percutaneous Selec
tive Radio-frequency Neuroablation (PSRN) is proposed. Radio-frequency
energy is applied via the percutaneous route to interrupt selected te
rminal fibers of the facial nerve in order to modify the facial dynami
cs. An easy-to-construct electronic system is used to perform both thr
ee-dimensional perioperative location (by means of electrical stimulat
ion) and percutaneous electrofulguration of the target nerve. PSRN was
found useful in ameliorating noticeable forehead and frown wrinkles c
aused by muscular hyperactivity as well as in achieving a more balance
d face in cases of unilateral postrhyticrectomy facial paralysis of th
e temporal branch of the facial nerve. Twenty-one patients underwent P
SRN with encouraging results. In this report, the electrophysiological
bases, technique, animal experiments, and initial clinical experience
of PSRN are presented.