[Endoscopic forehead lifting: surgical anatomy and technique]

Endoscopic forehead lifting is a widely accepted treatment for brow ptosis. The procedure safely and effectively corrects horizontal forehead rhytids, brow ptosis, upper eyelid dermatochalasis and periorbital crow's feet. The result is a refreshed and more open facial expression. A thorough understanding of basic facial anatomy is the key to successful cosmetic surgery. The procedure is based on a subperiostal and preperiosteal mobilisation of the temporal and frontal soft tissues and a detachment of the periosteum of the orbital rim. An upper eyelid blepharoplasty and selective incomplete or complete myotomies of the corrugator and procerus muscles may be incorporated in the operation. Most surgeons prefer to fixate the elevated soft tissue planes to the calvarium by sutures, titanium or resorbabale polyglactid anchors. While initial enthusiasm for this procedure seems to be declining in several countries, few ENT-surgeons are familiar with this technique in Europe. This article reviews the surgical anatomy of the forehead and temporoparietal region by means of cadaver dissection and describes the surgical procedure for German speaking readers.