Can Cheekbone Reduction Osteotomies Be Reversed?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am writing to inquire about the possibility of reversing a cheekbone reduction procedure that I underwent about a year ago. The procedure was called “high L osteotomy,” where a part of my cheekbone was removed and pushed in. However, I have been experiencing tightness around my cheeks since then and I am unhappy with the results. I am wondering if it is possible to reverse the procedure by doing reversal osteotomies and bone grafting.

A: The short answer is that it largely can be done. The long answer is that a L-shaped osteotomy is a little bit more challenging to reverse due to the pattern of the osteotomy (as opposed to the old style vertical oblique cut) but it can be successfully done. The posterior zygomatic arch part of the osteotomy can be as successfully reversed as the more significant anterior osteotomy but its main purpose is to allow the anterior segment to move it since it is not really important to try and reverse it.  It would first require a 3D CT scan, or perhaps you have already had one done postop, to make a careful assessment of what was exactly done.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon