En bloc cervical lipectomy for treatment of the problem neck in facial rejuvenation surgery.

The treatment of cervical fat in facial aesthetic surgery has received much attention in recent years. Suction lipectomy has become a very popular technique for removing cervical fat because it is easy to perform and results in few complications. This paper describes the en bloc excision of cervical fat in conjunction with rhytidectomy. The senior author has treated 1,000 patients over 17 years using this technique with a high degree of patient satisfaction and minimal morbidity. Although suction lipectomy alone may be indicated for the younger patient, our experience suggests that the en bloc excisional technique is the treatment of choice in the older patient in whom a rhytidectomy is also indicated. In contrast with suction lipectomy, we have found that the en bloc excision of cervical fat allows for more anatomic dissection and facilitates removal of greater amounts of fat and better redraping of the cervical skin.