The Supratarsal Approach for Correction of Anterior Frontal Bone Fractures

To approach isolated anterior frontal bone fracture, coronal incision is the common surgical access of choice. This approach has complications such as aesthetically undesirable scarring and alopecia along the incision line. An alternative approach to these fractures is through a supratarsal incision. The aim of the present study was to correct the frontal bone fracture, through supratarsal approach.

Six consecutive patients with frontal bone fracture were operated through supratarsal incision and evaluated regarding: patient cosmetic satisfaction, forehead contour, scarring, sensibility and motility in forehead and upper eyelids.

Seven months (6-12) postoperatively, all the patients had normal mobility in the forehead and the upper eyelids and 17% (n = 1) had hypoesthesia of superior orbital nerve. The forehead contour was excellent in all patients. About 83% (n = 5) of the patients were very satisfied and 17% (n = 1) were satisfied with the surgical result.

Correction of anterior frontal bone fracture through a supratarsal approach appears to be safe and offers a sufficient exposure to the frontal bone fracture correction with excellent contouring results and no noticeable scarring.