Plastic surgeon Gregory Mueller, MD (Beverly Hills, Calif.), inventor of the MyEllevate® procedure from Cynosure (Westford, Mass.), and the ICLED® light guided suture system, recently sat down with The Aesthetic Guide (TAG) to talk about where MyEllevate fits among today’s options for lower face rejuvenation.
TAG: What led you to develop MyEllevate?
Dr. Mueller: I was unsatisfied with traditional open approaches. I felt like it was overly invasive and often created scar tissue and other soft tissue deformities. I felt like the risk-to-benefit ratio was upside down.I started to think about whether there was a way I could sew the muscles without opening the skin. That’s when I came up with the idea of an illuminated sewing needle and thread that would allow me to pass suture material right over the muscle but underneath the skin to avoid surgically opening the whole front of the area.
TAG: When did you develop MyEllevate? Dr. Mueller: I had the idea in 2005 and hired a biomedical engineer to work with me to create the original five-piece surgical kit. We received FDA clearance for the device in 2009.
In 2012 we published a clinical paper on the original procedure called “Percutaneous Trampoline Platysmaplasty” in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal.”1 As a result of publishing that paper and the learning curve, I realized I needed to fine-tune the procedure and make it easier to teach sur- geons. I also wanted to improve the process. I spent nearly a decade refining the technique to what it is today.
TAG: What would you say to colleagues who might consider other minimally invasive approaches to achieve similar outcomes? How might MyEllevate be different?
Dr. Mueller: MyEllevate is the only minimally invasive way to address the underlying muscles and glands.
TAG: How can practitioners achieve optimal MyEllevate results?
Dr. Mueller: MyEllevate is a great bridge procedure to prolong patients’ need for a facelift, or for patients who have had a lift but have recurrent bands. It is an excellent alternative for patients who are tired of getting Botox (Allergan Aesthetics; Irvine, Calif.) in their bands and want a more permanent solution.
The procedure and instrumentation are designed to deliver the permanent 4-0 braided polyester suture material deep, right over themuscle. With MyEllevate we can achieve long-term results that last six to seven years with sustained minimalization of bands and smooth contouring.
I started to think about whether there was a way I could sew the muscles without opening the skin. That’s when I came up with the idea of an illuminated sewing needle and thread that would allow me to pass suture material right over the muscle but underneath the skin to avoid sur- gically opening the whole front of the area.
Reference:
1. Gregory P. Mueller, Norman Leaf, Sherrell J. Aston, Corbett W. Stone, The Percutaneous Trampoline Platysmaplasty: Technique and Experience With 105 Consecutive Patients, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Volume 32, Issue 1, January 2012, Pages 11–24, https://doi.org/10.1177/1090820X11429939
