Two- and Three-Dimensional Quantification of Facial Symmetry After Fat Grafting and Free Flap Reconstruction in Hemifacial Atrophy

Two- and Three-Dimensional Quantification of Facial Symmetry Following Fat Grafting Versus Free Flap Reconstruction in Hemifacial Atrophy: A Retrospective Observational Study

Status

Completed

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Observational

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT07305909

Enrollment

Registered

2025-12-26

Start date

2020-01-10

Completion date

2023-12-29

Last updated

2025-12-26

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Hemifacial Atrophy

Brief summary

Hemifacial atrophy causes one side of the face to become smaller, leading to facial asymmetry. Surgeons often restore facial volume using either autologous fat grafting or free-flap reconstruction. However, it is not fully clear how much facial symmetry improves after surgery when measured objectively using two-dimensional (2D) photographs and three-dimensional (3D) surface scans. This is a single-center, retrospective observational study of patients with hemifacial atrophy treated between January 2020 and December 2023 at \[Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College\]. We will quantify facial symmetry before surgery and at the first follow-up visit occurring at or beyond 6 months after the initial surgery. Symmetry outcomes will be assessed using standardized 2D photographs for all included patients, and 3D surface scans for a subset of patients. Complications will also be assessed at the first ≥6-month follow-up visit. We will compare changes in symmetry between patients treated with fat grafting and those treated with free-flap reconstruction.

Interventions

None listed

Study design

Observational model

COHORT

Time perspective

RETROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Diagnosis of hemifacial atrophy (Parry-Romberg syndrome). Underwent initial soft-tissue augmentation with either autologous fat grafting or free-flap reconstruction at the study center between January 2020 and December 2023. Availability of standardized preoperative assessment and postoperative assessment at the first follow-up visit occurring ≥6 months after surgery (2D photographs required).

Exclusion criteria

Follow-up \<6 months after the initial surgery. Missing key imaging/photographic data required for outcome assessment. Any additional facial augmentation or revision procedure performed before the first ≥6-month follow-up visit.

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Change in 2D Facial Symmetry Ratio	Baseline (preoperative) and first follow-up visit 6 months postoperatively	Facial symmetry ratio calculated from standardized frontal 2D photographs using computerized photogrammetric analysis. The primary endpoint is the change from preoperative baseline to the first postoperative follow-up visit occurring at or beyond 6 months after the initial surgery.

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Change in 3D Volumetric Discrepancy Between Hemifaces	Baseline (preoperative) and first follow-up visit 6 months postoperatively	Three-dimensional (3D) volumetric discrepancy between the affected and unaffected hemiface measured from 3D surface scans in the subset of participants with available 3D data. Change from baseline to the first ≥6-month follow-up visit.

Countries

China

Outcome results