| abstract |
A surgical device for suspending soft tissue in a procedure for elevation of the malar fat pad is constructed from a pair of shafts that are fused to the ends of two sutures, such that both sutures are fused at one end to a common shaft at the proximal end of the shaft, and at their other ends to a second common shaft at its proximal end. The distal ends of both shafts are free for insertion into incisions in the patient, and are blunt-tipped to avoid injuries to nerves or blood vessels. One of the sutures, termed the suspension suture, is threaded through an anchor graft, to engage and elevate the malar fat pad, the graft being preferably ring-shaped to allow ingrowth of soft tissue. |