Can Temporal Artery Ligations Break or Get Loose Later?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in temporal artery ligations. You seem to be the surgeon that comes up repeatedly for this procedure online so I am very interested in learning more. 

– is this a common procedure for you? Do people routinely fly in for this? 

– what are we looking at as far as scarring? Hairline vs forehead? 

– sort of a strange question, may not be relevant but wanted to flag it – once litigated is there any potential that they could rupture, break etc.? I ask because I practice MMA and routinely get choked.

A: In answer to your temporal artery ligation questions:

1) While this is a common procedure in my practice, it is done by only a handful of surgeons around the world.

2) The small ligation sites heal inconspicuously. No one has ever requested or had a scar revision for any ligation site in over 100 patients treated (over 700 ligation sites)

3) Each site is double ligated so getting loose is not a concern. How that relates to MMA fighting and being choked out I can not say since I have never has such a patient before. But it does not seem like a problem given the multi-level ligations done.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon